{"id":66937,"date":"2016-01-27T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-27T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=c1773dc48724f5f8eb86eb91dbbf37ed"},"modified":"2016-01-27T21:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-01-27T21:00:00","slug":"speech-aviation-capacity-vital-priority-for-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=66937","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Aviation capacity vital priority for UK"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Thank you Sir Michael. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m delighted to join you this evening.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m grateful to BATA<\/abbr> for giving me this opportunity to say a few words.<\/p>\n

A lot has happened since I last spoke at this dinner in 2014.<\/p>\n

UK<\/abbr> airlines have enjoyed sustained growth.<\/p>\n

Passenger numbers at our airports have reached record levels.<\/p>\n

And Britain itself is in a much stronger position.<\/p>\n

A much reduced deficit.<\/p>\n

A flourishing economy.<\/p>\n

A majority government – with infrastructure investment at the top of our manifesto.<\/p>\n

Infrastructure investment<\/h2>\n

If anyone doubted our commitment, in November (2015), the Chancellor confirmed that we\u2019ll spend 50% more on transport this Parliament than in the previous 5 years<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wherever we can, we\u2019re improving transport as fast as possible.<\/p>\n

But we\u2019re also doing something that this country hasn\u2019t seen for many decades.<\/p>\n

Planning and delivering a long-term transport infrastructure programme.<\/p>\n

Building the capacity to fulfil the needs of future generations.<\/p>\n

And when you consider investments that will help Britain thrive, airport capacity in the south east is about as important as it gets.<\/p>\n

Aviation growth<\/h2>\n

Our prosperity today is intimately linked with the global ties we built in the past.<\/p>\n

We still have the third largest aviation network in the world.<\/p>\n

We also have fantastic, innovative, world-leading airlines, investing in new aircraft and routes.<\/p>\n

More people fly with British airlines each year than carriers from any other country outside the US and China. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s thanks to you.<\/p>\n

The success of UK<\/abbr> aviation is also reflected in our airports.<\/p>\n

Last week I was at Luton.<\/p>\n

Which is investing \u00a3110 million developing facilities and celebrating record passenger numbers in 2015.<\/p>\n

But that sort of investment and growth is being replicated at airports around the country.<\/p>\n

A billion pound programme at Manchester.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh.<\/p>\n

Bristol.<\/p>\n

New routes from regional airports to fast growing global destinations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I could go on.<\/p>\n

But growth at these airports will be in addition to growth in the south east, not instead of it.<\/p>\n

Nothing will change the fact that without action, London\u2019s aviation network will be full by 2040.<\/p>\n

But constrained capacity is already costing us business and jobs.<\/p>\n

With every new air route to the Far East or South America, Paris, Frankfurt and Dubai are making themselves more attractive to investors.<\/p>\n

The advantage we\u2019ve enjoyed for so long, through the strong global connections provided by Heathrow and Gatwick, is becoming less of an advantage as time goes on.<\/p>\n

So sorting out the capacity issue is critical.<\/p>\n

Delayed decision<\/h2>\n

That is why I asked Sir Howard Davies to lead the Airports Commission review.<\/p>\n

And that is why, before Christmas, the government accepted his case for expansion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That in itself was a big step forward.<\/p>\n

It showed that the debate\u2019s moved on, from whether a new runway should be built, to where.<\/p>\n

We also agreed to choose 1 of the 3 short-listed schemes.<\/p>\n

And we intend to meet the Commission\u2019s requirement for an additional runway by 2030.<\/p>\n

Of course I know that many in the industry were disappointed that we delayed the final decision.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t something we took lightly. <\/p>\n

But when opponents of expansion hailed the delay as some sort of victory, they could not have been more wrong.<\/p>\n

The decision was delayed because it was the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

The responsible thing to do.<\/p>\n

To make sure we\u2019re fully prepared.<\/p>\n

So we know from the outset that we will get the job finished.<\/p>\n

You understand more than most that Britain\u2019s deep-seated, infrastructure-averse culture has a history of de-railing vital transport schemes.<\/p>\n

And although we are slowly changing that culture, to risk any chance of failure at this stage would be unacceptable.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s why we\u2019ve been so thorough with HS2<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Six years of intense planning.<\/p>\n

The biggest consultation in government history.<\/p>\n

Perfecting the design.<\/p>\n

Building the case, town by town, region by region.<\/p>\n

Getting the widest possible public and political support. <\/p>\n

Making sure the HS2<\/abbr> project is the very best it can be.<\/p>\n

With minimum impact on the countryside and people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing with aviation capacity.<\/p>\n

Does the delay mean we lack the evidence today to make a convincing decision?<\/p>\n

Absolutely not.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re using this time to make the case for new capacity even more watertight.<\/p>\n

It means we can test the Commission\u2019s work further against the government\u2019s new air quality plan.<\/p>\n

This is additional work to test compliance, and build confidence that expansion can take place within legal limits.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re also doing more work on carbon, to address concerns on sustainability, particularly during construction.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re dealing with concerns about noise, to get absolutely the best outcome for residents.<\/p>\n

We want to make sure that communities get the best possible mitigation deal.<\/p>\n

Finally, we\u2019re carrying out extra economic analysis.<\/p>\n

To assess the runway\u2019s potential locally and nationally, so it can deliver more jobs, more growth and more apprenticeships.<\/p>\n

Local UK<\/abbr> growth<\/h2>\n

And this is crucial.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t just need new runway capacity so Heathrow or Gatwick can better compete with Paris, Frankfurt or Dubai.<\/p>\n

We also need it for the benefits it will bring to the wider UK<\/abbr> economy.<\/p>\n

One of the most persuasive arguments for new capacity is the links it will provide to the north, the south west, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

Opponents have tried to suggest that a new runway would somehow undermine our domestic network.<\/p>\n

In fact the reverse is true.<\/p>\n

Wherever we decide to build new runway capacity, you can be sure that local economies throughout the UK<\/abbr> will benefit, with more flights, more routes, and more connections.<\/p>\n

So as we complete our work this year, let\u2019s make sure these localised benefits are articulated, from the airports and airlines that serve the regions.<\/p>\n

Your voice is a powerful one.<\/p>\n

And BATA<\/abbr> members understand better than most the importance of domestic flights to every part of the UK<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s keep beating the drum for the regions in this debate.<\/p>\n

Before I finish, I\u2019d like to offer my congratulations to Jane Middleton, BATA<\/abbr>\u2019s new chairman.<\/p>\n

Jane, I look forward to working with you.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

So, as you can imagine, there is a huge amount going on in the department at the moment.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s also a real sense of purpose.<\/p>\n

To do the job as thoroughly and effectively as we can.<\/p>\n

And to maximise the opportunities that new capacity will bring.<\/p>\n

Opportunities for passengers.<\/p>\n

For the aviation industry.<\/p>\n

And for every part of Britain which relies on air links to the south east.<\/p>\n

Of course I understand the concern and impatience within the industry.<\/p>\n

But getting this decision right – so the benefits are widely appreciated; so environmental impacts are clearly mitigated; and so it\u2019s supported by a majority of cross-party MPs<\/abbr> and Peers – is absolutely paramount.<\/p>\n

So let me assure you.<\/p>\n

We will make a decision once this work is finished.<\/p>\n

It will be the right decision for Britain.<\/p>\n

And it will ensure that the Commission\u2019s timetable for delivering the capacity can be met.<\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin reaffirms commitment to new capacity in south east.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66937"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=66937"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66981,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66937\/revisions\/66981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=66937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=66937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=66937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}