Left: Sir Roy McNulty, chairman, Gatwick Airport board
A statement released by the chair of the Gatwick Airport board Sir Roy McNulty has expressed concerns over the analysis contained in the Airports Commission report for developing UK airspace.
McNulty has highlighted what he sees as key flaws in the proposal and has stated that these issues will be raised with the UK Government. This includes a forecast that Gatwick will reach passenger volumes of 40 million in 2024, when the airport is close to that level in 2015; discrepancies in economic benefits between HM Treasury guidelines and numbers produced by PwC; a failure to consider the role that Gatwick could play in the long haul market; a lack of depth to the analysis of noise impact; air quality issues and the overall deliverability of the project.
McNulty said, “Our view has always been that the assessments on which the Commission’s conclusions are based must be thorough, balanced, fair and well evidenced.
“We believe that the Commission’s report falls short of this standard in a number of very important respects. As a result, the many strengths of Gatwick and the many challenges of London Heathrow Airport are underplayed, leading to a conclusion that we believe is flawed.
“The Airports Commission has made its recommendation and it is now for the Government to decide. We are confident that when they do make their decision they will choose Gatwick as the best option for the economy and the environment, and – most importantly – after decades of delay the option that is actually deliverable.”
