8,400 jobs for Wales in link-up with Heathrow?
A NEW partnership between the Welsh Government and Heathrow Airport could help deliver 8,400 new skilled jobs and £6.2bn in economic growth for Wales.
An agreement is set to be signed today signalling the start of what aims to be a close working relationship between the two.
It will look at mutually beneficial commercial opportunities to support economic growth and the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Set to become Europe’s largest privately-funded infrastructure project, an expanded Heathrow will need extensive support from UK manufacturers and SMEs to deliver the project on time and on budget.
This partnership opens up new business opportunities in Wales as Heathrow, which invests more than £1bn a year at its site, wants to broaden its supply chain to support demand. The partnership will mean airlines wanting to operate a route from Wales to Heathrow would be eligible to bid for the £10m route development fund.
The first-ever Heathrow Business Summit Wales will take place on July 5, providing Welsh businesses with the opportunity of winning new business with the airport’s biggest suppliers.
It will also look at the possibility of locating off-site manufacturing logistic hubs in Wales to support delivery for the third runway.
This new strategic partnership will be signed in Cardiff by First Minister Carwyn Jones and Heathrow’s chairman Lord Paul Deighton today.
Lord Deighton said: “I want to ensure that every corner of Britain benefits from Heathrow expansion. This strategic partnership will bring us closer to Wales and help us to deliver an expanded Heathrow.
“A new Heathrow runway will unlock up to 8,400 new skilled jobs and underpin up to £6.4bn in growth from construction through to increased tourism and exports for Wales. This new partnership is a sign of our commitment to ensuring Heathrow expansion delivers benefits for every corner of Britain and we are looking forward to working with the Welsh Government and Welsh businesses to make it a success.”
The First Minister said the partnership “opens the door” for Wales to explore new opportunities, particularly for Wales’ existing supply chain companies that have the experience and expertise to support infrastructure projects at Heathrow.
He said: “I would certainly like to see a far higher percentage spend in Wales and the Welsh Government will do all it can to support companies in Wales to bid and win more business at Heathrow.
“I am also pleased to announce that plans are under way to host the first Heathrow Business Summit in Wales, where our supply chain companies will have the chance to meet and discuss opportunities with Heathrow’s procurement team.”
The UK Government confirmed its backing of the expansion of the west London airport in October last year.
At the time, the First Minister welcomed the announcement but said he wanted to see Wales get a fair allocation of landing slots and a spur rail link to Heathrow from the mainline allowing direct rail travel from south Wales.
The planned spur would enable travellers to avoid going into and out of Paddington to get to Heathrow. Trains would deviate from the line towards London after Slough, between the stations Langley and Iver, and go into a tunnel that would take them to Terminal 5.
The rail journey between Reading and Heathrow would be reduced by around 35 minutes. If given the goahead, work could begin in 2019 and be completed by 2024.