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British MPs accuse government of 'dithering' over London Airport expansion

A PANEL of British MPs has urged the government to stop "dithering" over the expansion of airport capacity around London and to make a decision by setting out a timetable for completing the project.

The House of Commons Transport Committee said Prime Minister David Cameron's government has "squandered the opportunity to make an evidence-based decision based on a report issued last year by Howard Davies" Airports Commission, which recommended the expansion of Heathrow.

But the PM has postponed making a commitment until after the London mayoral election.

The panel said the delay is damaging economic growth by deterring investors uncertain about the future of Britain's communications.

"Across the world, cities are collectively planning to build more than 50 new runways with capacity to serve one billion additional passenger journeys by 2036. The growth of large hubs in the Middle and Far East and North America threatens our position as a hub of international aviation," the committee chairwoman, opposition Labour Party lawmaker Louise Ellman, said in an e-mailed statement. "The government must make up its mind."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin prepared the ground for Cameron to back expansion at Heathrow during evidence to the committee in February, while hinting that a decision on the location of the airport may not be announced until after the June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union.

The committee said that the further environmental studies ordered by the government would take on more urgency and be more focused if the decision on the location of extra runway capacity is made first.

"The real, independent evidence continues to point towards Heathrow," the west London airport said in an e-mailed statement. "Only an expanded Heathrow delivers and now is the time to make it happen."

Gatwick said in a statement that the continuing debate "highlights the inadequacies of the Airports Commission report, which failed to address the environmental impacts of Heathrow expansion while drastically overstating the economic benefits."

The UK's Freight Transport Association (FTA) has come out in firm support of the Transport Committee's call, demanding the government stop putting off the decision.

The FTA claims to have repeatedly asked the government to act as a matter of urgency, and in May 2015 renewed its demand that the government look into increasing airport capacity, saying that a decision was needed sooner rather than later.

FTA chief executive David Wells also wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron highlighting the essential role of air freight, particularly, bellyhold cargo transported onboard passenger aircraft.

Air freight accounts for 40 per cent of UK imports and exports by value, and employs 39,000 people, mostly clustered around Heathrow, reported London's Air Cargo News.