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Gatwick spared as UK ready for take-off

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announcing the government's aviation white paper yesterday, said that British airports will need to cope with the number of passengers travelling through them tripling over 30 years.

To deal with these numbers, the white paper says that at least 4 new runways will be constructed throughout the UK. The policies do not authorise any particular development but set a guide for decisions on future planning applications.

Expansion at Gatwick has been vetoed unless environmental conditions placed upon development at Heathrow can not be met. Stansted will be the first airport to have a new runway, probably by 2011.

The white paper's contents have angered residents' groups and environmental campaigners but industry has reacted positively.

“UK plc ready for take-off,” said the British Chambers of Commerce this morning, reacting to the white paper release.

David Frost, director general of BCC said: "If UK businesses are to be able to expand and compete in a global economy they need to have ready access to world-wide market places.”

“With demand for aviation expected to increase it is absolutely crucial that action is taken now before UK firms lose out to other European competitors with better access to airports, which is why we very much welcome the Aviation White Paper today."

"At a time when we are seeing jobs move offshore, the UK aviation industry is an enormous success story with 200,000 people employed directly and 600,000 jobs supported in the supply chain."

CBI leader Digby Jones also praised the government for giving the green light to two South East runways and for striking a balance between economic and environmental objectives.

He said firms would be “relieved" that ministers have given a commitment to expansion at Heathrow, which serves as a hub airport for the whole UK.

"This country has been a world leader in aviation for a 100 years. It is a cornerstone of our economic prosperity and we must never throw that away. The government is right to expand capacity, not just in the South East but also across the UK."

Environmental campaigners

Despite many people living near airports been employed in them, many housing groups are angered by the plans for expansion.

Friends of the Earth accused the government of “abdicating its environmental responsibilities.” The environmental pressure group said that as well as abandoning its most important environmental target - tackling climate change - the government has also missed a major opportunity to invest up to £9 billion in high speed rail and other forms of environmentally-friendly transport.

Expansion plans

Both Stansted and Heathrow are to get new runways. Stansted's second runway is due to be ready by 2011, while Heathrow will get a third by 2020 if it meets environmental targets.

Also in the proposals are a new runway in Birmingham and possibly one for Edinburgh too.

The South East

• New runway at Stansted as soon as possible
• New runway and possible sixth terminal at Heathrow between 2015 and 2020
• Environmental conditions imposed on Heathrow's expansion
• No new runway at Gatwick until after 2019 - and then only if Heathrow conditions not met
• Proposed new airport at Cliffe, Kent abandoned
• Luton Airport to develop to make maximum use of its existing runway

Rest of UK

• New runway at Birmingham
• No new Midlands airport
• East Midlands to expand without new runway
• Extra terminal and runway extension at Bristol
• Extra terminal capacity at Manchester and Liverpool Lennon
• Expanded terminal and runway at Newcastle
• Possible new runway at Edinburgh by 2020
• Possible runway extensions at Aberdeen and Inverness
• No new south-east Wales airport
• Capacity to increase at Cardiff
• Belfast Airport to grow within existing boundaries