Disappointment after Birmingham Airport second runway blow
The vision that would have seen Birmingham Airport become one of the country's top transport hubs was dealt a cruel blow today – but bosses are remaining positive.
New runways at Heathrow and Gatwick are among the options that have been short-listed by the Airports Commission with Birmingham and Stansted being overlooked.
The three short-listed options include adding a third runway at Heathrow, lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow, and a new second runway at Gatwick.
The commission, led by businessman Sir Howard Davies, said it had concluded there is a need for one net additional runway to be in operation in the South East by 2030.
The commission will study proposals for a new airport on the Isle of Grain in Kent.
When Birmingham Airport announced its bid for a second runway it described it as a 'once in a generation' opportunity. Today chief executive Paul Kehoe said: "We will continue to work alongside our stakeholders to ensure Birmingham Airport delivers for local businesses, passengers and the economy." But business leaders and politicians today condemned the decision to rule out Birmingham's second runway.
Black Country Chamber of Commerce vice-chairman Ninder Johal said: "There needs to be a shift away from services to manufacturing – therefore it appears illogical that Birmingham Airport, which is in the centre of what is widely known as the manufacturing heartland of the UK, has not been included in the shortlist."
Ian Jones, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for jobs and the economy said: "It would have been good for the whole region, and it's disappointing that we are concentrating our efforts on the south east."
Under the plans for Birmingham, more than 500,000 planes would have been taking off and landing at the airport each year with 70 million passengers passing through its gates under the vision from bosses.
