Calls for a decision on London airport plans

An SNP group of Highlands and Islands politicians have added to the growing pressure on the UK Government to decide which airport in the south-east of England will be expanded.

In a joint letter to Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling, the MPs and MSPs said a decision on a hub for the region had to be made urgently for the good of Scotland and the UK.

It has been almost a year since former Prime Minister David Cameron deferred his original announcement – with expansion likely for either Gatwick or Heathrow.

The letter from SNP MPs and MSPs reads: "We are writing to you to reinforce the urgency of making a decision regarding a UK hub airport for the economy of Scotland and the UK.

"You have always said that the decision on airport expansion in the South East of England was not for the South East of England to decide upon alone.

"As part of our route network mix it is critical that Scotland maintains and grows high quality connections to hub airports in order to trade and attract investment and tourism from every corner of the globe, particularly in emerging markets.

"Hub airports complement the routes offered by Scottish airports and facilitate a much wider reach.

"It is in your gift to guarantee that Scottish airports have a quality connection to the new hub - filling in the gaps to places they cannot already reach directly."

The letter continues: "Although we are resolutely opposed to Scotland leaving the EU we would have thought that from the UK Government’s perspective the need to access markets out with the EU has become even more urgent and that therefore a decision on the key air hub to assist in that purpose must now be made.

"On the other hand, if Scotland succeeds in remaining in the EU, as we wish, then a new hub in the South East of England would also be vital to build traffic into the EU using Scotland as a point of entry.

"A decision will not only secure future global connectivity for communities across Scotland but will also unlock private investment at a time of economic uncertainty.

"The supply chain alone will involve businesses from every region and nation in the UK, including the recently announced Heathrow supply chain hub in Scotland.

"We urge you to make a decision on a hub airport without any further delay in order to benefit Scotland as well as the rest of these islands."

The letter’s lead signatory is Maree Todd MSP, but has also been signed by fellow MSPs Kate Forbes, Alasdair Allan and Michael Russell, as well as MPs Drew Hendry and Angus MacNeil.

Following the report of the Airports Commission last year, which recommended a third runway for Heathrow by 2030, former Prime Minister David Cameron promised a decision by the end of 2015.

That was then put off to the summer of 2016, when now ex Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin deferred it until "at least October".

Last week chief executive of the Inverness Chamber of Commerce Stewart Nicol also warned that the decision has become even urgent post-Brexit.

Mr Nicol added that "until the airports decision is taken, we can’t progress".

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