Well integrated road and rail surface access improvements will be needed alongside efforts to make effective use of the South East’s existing airport capacity if the aviation industry is to thrive post-Brexit.

 

So urged senior figures from several of the region’s largest airports at last week’s London Infrastructure Summit, organised by campaign group London First.

 

“With the implications of Brexit beginning to bite, the UK is going to need the aviation industry to be firing on all cylinders to build a prosperous and global nation,” commented Stansted’s chief executive officer Ken O’Toole.

 

He added: “The green light for a new runway at Heathrow is a mid-term measure at best. During the next 15 years the focus for Government must be to make sure it achieves the most productive and effective use of the airport capacity we already have as a nation.

 

“If we are serious about getting the most out of our airports, joined up thinking on roads, rail and aviation policies has to be a priority.” He urged the Government to commit additional resources to improve connections to airports, which for Stansted would mean creating better rail links to London and Cambridge.

 

Also speaking at the event were Heathrow’s chief strategy officer Andrew Macmillan and London City Airport’s chief operating officer Alison FitzGerald who made the case for improved surface access.

 

Andrew Macmillan welcomed the upcoming arrival of Crossrail at Heathrow. But he said the airport will also need better western and southern rail connections, adding: “Government needs to keep facilitating surface access improvements for all of London’s airports and make sure it comes together as a well integrated system.”

 

Alison FitzGerald explained that London City Airport’s offer is based on speed – “you can arrive at the airport within 20 minutes of you plane departing,” she said – but this means it is vital that access to the airport is as optimum as possible.

 

Frequent gridlock on the A12 and A13 are a problem for the airport, she said, and also expressed a desire to lobby Crossrail for a station serving the airport.

 

Meanwhile London’s second largest airport continues to push for a second runway in addition to the Government’s preferred North West Runway scheme at Heathrow. 

 

Gatwick’s chief executive officer Stewart Wingate told delegates: “We would like support from the Government for a new runway at Gatwick at the earliest opportunity because we are full and the demand is there. Frankly we want to develop this irrespective of what happens at Heathrow.”

 

Each of the airports’ representatives also emphasised the need for a robust transitional deal with the European Union that protects the ability of UK airlines to fly freely in Europe post-Brexit.

 

(Photo: Joshua Brown and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)