Rachel Reeves backs Heathrow expansion: comment
Comment on Rachel Reeves' support for Heathrow expansion

By Colin Walker
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Commenting on the Chancellor’s announcement of support for the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Colin Walker, Head of Transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said:
“The Government wants to kickstart economic growth in the UK today but, with years of hurdles to overcome, even if a third runway at Heathrow did get built no real economic benefits would appear until at least the end of the next decade.
“Even then, the economic returns are likely to be disappointing. An expanded Heathrow will be hoping to increase business traveller numbers 15 years from now when business travel has been falling for the last 20 years. Zoom is much cheaper and saves time.
“And who does this benefit? More than half of the UK doesn’t fly, [1] while evidence suggests an expanded airport will just shift more spending abroad, and exacerbate the UK’s inequalities by drawing investment and jobs away from the UK’s regions and into London and the South East.
“With the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries warning that half of global GDP could be wiped out by climate change in a matter of decades, [2] is ramping up the aviation sector’s CO2 emissions by expanding the country’s largest airport really a plan for long-term growth? Reaching net zero emissions is imperative for stopping the extremes from climate change getting ever worse, and net zero industries in the UK are a fast growth sector, already adding in excess of £70billion to the UK economy. [3] Polling shows the public sees clean energy and renewables as the number one growth opportunity for the UK.
“The Government’s hopes that sustainable aviation fuel will offset the extra emissions from Heathrow’s expansion are unrealistic. Our pathway to net zero emissions already relies on the rollout of these fuels and no further expansion in UK airport capacity – a third runway will increase emissions way beyond the capacity of these fuels to offset them.”
Notes to editors:
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/nts03-modal-comparisons
2. Current climate policies risk catastrophic societal and economic impacts: https://actuaries.org.uk/planetary-solvency
3. The UK’s net zero economy: https://eciu.net/analysis/reports/2024/the-uks-net-zero-economy-2024
For more information or for interview requests:
George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net