Brexit cannot be an excuse for delaying Heathrow's new runway

Here’s what Lord Adnois said

Lord Adonis, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, has said that Brexit cannot be an excuse for delaying approval for Heathrow expansion.  

Speaking at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Andrew Adonis said: “It’s 14 years since the original decision in principle was taken to proceed with Heathrow. There really is a limit to the dither and delay we can engage in as a country when it comes to these massively important infrastructure projects.”

Adonis outlined what was required to secure Heathrow expansion:

• A House of Commons vote on any finalised National Policy Statement on airports capacity in the south-east of England no later than May 2018;
• A government response to the consultation on UK airspace published no later than October 2017;
• A timetable for agreeing an updated national aviation strategy published no later than September 2017.

Adonis was joined by leaders from the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI and the Federation of Small Businesses in calling on politicians to ensure infrastructure projects such as Heathrow expansion were not delayed.

Parmjit Dhanda, Back Heathrow’s Executive Director, said: “Lord Adonis is right to call for an end to dither and delay on expanding Heathrow.

“A new runway at the UK’s biggest port is crucial as we look to navigate Brexit and create a bright, prosperous future outside of the European Union.

“Heathrow expansion will create 10,000 apprenticeships, 77,000 new local jobs and 180,000 jobs across the country. This is a huge opportunity that we need to grab with both hands and we simply cannot afford to let it slip through our fingers”.