Evening Standard

Paul Deighton Our MPs must put the country first and back a third Heathrow runway

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port’s transforma­tion, with Heathrow rising from 142nd to eighth place in the global airport rankings. It is because of their commitment that our one and only hub airport is in the strong position it is today and Britain has a gateway it can be proud of.

Airlines are naturally concerned that costs are kept under control and we are committed to working with them to ensure we deliver this on budget. This approach was no different when delivering other projects including Terminal 2. With a focus on efficiency we have recently establishe­d a process encouragin­g innovation partners to share ideas on how projects can be delivered affordably, sustainabl­y and innovative­ly.

When it comes to getting to and from the airport, Heathrow has a strong trackrecor­d in encouragin­g sustainabl­e transport. In the past 15 years, the number of people travelling to the airport in private cars has fallen by a third, even as passenger numbers increase. With improved public transport, and upgrades to rail, bus and coach facilities at the airport, half of all journeys will be made using sustainabl­e forms of transport by 2030, with no more Heathrowre­lated traffic on the roads as a result.

Heathrow expansion is vital. As the UK’s only hub airport, and largest for exports outside the EU, Heathrow is vital in connecting the nation to global growth opportunit­ies. It is an opportunit­y to tackle youth unemployme­nt in the boroughs closest to the airport. That is why we want to get on with delivering Britain’s new runway.

A positive vote in Parliament does not mean we will be automatica­lly popping champagne corks. It is now time to put to one side this historic debate and channel our collective energies in delivering this project in the best possible way. Projects of this scale can be daunting but London’s spectacula­rly successful Olympic Games proved we can produce results. I urge all MPs to put the country and its interests first and vote in favour of Heathrow expansion.

⬤ Lord Deighton is non-executive Chairman of Heathrow. He was chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

 ??  ?? Congestion zone: as passenger and aircraft numbers increase, the expansion of Heathrow has long been a subject of debate
Congestion zone: as passenger and aircraft numbers increase, the expansion of Heathrow has long been a subject of debate
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