Business leaders’ eleventh-hour plea for Birmingham runway extension
“We can come out of this downturn with a bounce if we can show international investors we have a world-class airport with routes to the west coast of the US, China, Japan and the whole of the Asia-Pacific region.
“If we cannot boast such an airport, then our growing links with international business will be hamstrung, and that can only hit jobs here at home. The debate about the runway extension has too often been confused with debates about other airports, like Heathrow and Stansted. This is a mistake.
“The proposed developments at the south-east airports are of a different magnitude to a straightforward runway extension at Birmingham Airport.”
Meanwhile, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce threw down the gauntlet to Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon to pledge Governmental support for the runway extension.
BCI leaders said they were concerned Mr Hoon could defer the final decision, as he did over a third runway at Heathrow.
In a letter to Mr Hoon, BCI chief executive Jerry Blackett stressed how important the decision was for the region.
He said: “The extension of BIA’s runway is critically important to the future economic success of Birmingham and the West Midlands.”
