There was a time when British infrastructure was the envy of the world. In the Victorian era British engineers designed and constructed railways, canals, bridges and docks at a rate and of a quality which makes today’s infrastructure projects look dismal in comparison.
We may no longer have an Empire to run, but the need for high quality infrastructure is vitally important if the UK is to compete in the 21st century globalised world of fast moving capital, commerce and labour. Nowhere is this truth more apparent than in the airport sector. It is a tragic reality that in airport capacity, Britain –and particularly London- already has a shortfall, and is set to be further left behind.
The argument to build a third runway at Heathrow has been lost in the face of determined local opposition. British Airways have now admitted this point and are looking abroad to build capacity. Heathrow is already running at 99% capacity which makes travelling through that airport an often appalling experience for travellers. Flights are often stacked in holding patterns when they should have already landed. The terminals themselves, with the exception of 5, are outdated and overcrowded.
Gatwick is already at 80% capacity. Demand for air travel is set to rise massively over the next few decades, and there is no way London can currently meet this demand. Unless we have new construction flights that should be using London as a hub will be moving instead to superior continental airports in Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, and beyond.
Boris Johnson wants a new airport in the Thames Estuary. Whether this is the right solution or not, it is clear that the question Londoners must ask is not whether we should construct a new airport, but rather where we should build it, and how quickly can we get it done.
