Transport Insights

The chair of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee has issued a statement that calls out a lot of the uncertainty and inconsistency in the government’s decision to approve Gatwick Airport’s expansion plans.

 Ruth Cadbury MP said:

If the Government is determined to expand England’s airports, Gatwick’s second runway is among the lower hanging fruit.

They continue to say they are committed to reducing carbon emissions, but we are waiting for them to show us how they will square the circle of doing so whilst enabling thousands more flights.

On surface access, she commented:

The condition for a greater share of passengers to visit Gatwick by public transport is welcome and essential. But, where is the money coming from for much needed rail improvements to bring passengers in by train? Be it funding from the Treasury or a joint venture with investors, the Government needs to answer that question.

We also have yet to see a cohesive strategy about which airports should be expanded and why. If driving economic growth is part of their decision-making, ministers need to credibly explain how Gatwick’s second runway will benefit the rest of the country, and how it fits into the bigger picture of how we transport both freight and people. Any expansion of Heathrow must answer the same questions.

Don’t expect transport secretary Heidi Alexander or chancellor Rachel Reeves to answer any of this any time soon; as I wrote yesterday, the decision was mainly to show that Labour is “backing the builders, not the blockers”.