Backing Heathrow - Backing Britain
The future of the UK’s only hub airport is at
a crossroads. Heathrow airport is at the tipping point of decline
or expansion. Unite the union believes that, without expansion,
Heathrow will go into certain decline as it transforms from the
busiest international passenger hub in the world to just another
point to point airport. This will not only hurt the local Heathrow
community but the entire economy.
Heathrow is currently operating at 98 per cent
of capacity. This results in excessive stacking and queuing of
aircraft, which has a detrimental impact on the local environment
with the added consequence that the slightest problem can spiral
into major disruption for passengers and airlines.
Backing Heathrow – Jobs for today, jobs for
the future
- Heathrow is currently the UK’s largest single site employer
providing direct employment for some 172,000 people
- 50,000 jobs will be created across the UK to support
construction of the new runway and terminal
- If the airport expands, the additional traffic and related new
terminal would create around 8,000 to 15,000 jobs
- In the short, more immediate, term the construction of a new
terminal and runway will require a similar number of construction
positions as when Terminal 5 was built – about 8,000 jobs at any
one time, with over 50,000 individuals working on site throughout
the entirety of the process. This at a time when the construction
industry is facing tough challenges in the current financial
climate
- It is estimated that if airport development does not go ahead,
almost 20,000 directly employed jobs will be lost initially owing
to the change from a hub to a point to point airport
Backing Britain – boosting the economy
- The project to expand the airport alone would be worth at least
£3 billion to the economy
- The loss of business over time will lead to further job losses,
including those jobs that rely on Heathrow activities within the
economy – as witnessed with Gatwick
- Heathrow is by far the UK’s largest port of entry for overseas
visitors. 75% of the £11 billion spent each year is by those
arriving by air
Unite is backing expansion but what are the
arguments against?
Expansion is focused on the South East and the
aviation industry. This is wrong.
For every 1,000 jobs gained or lost at Heathrow, approximately 570
indirect jobs will be created or lost, and 270 induced jobs gained
or lost – a total of 840 jobs either way.
Other Regional UK Airports are against
expansion of Heathrow. Not True.
The present pressure on congested slots at Heathrow is a major
concern for regional airports. Airport bosses in Newcastle have
gone on the record as saying the extension of Heathrow is vital to
safeguard the region’s links with the capital. In addition, the
Manchester Airport Group has been calling for expansion to go ahead
as they wanted to offer connecting flights via their airports.
The UK should invest in new high speed rail
links instead. This is not a stand alone alternative.
A high speed rail link is needed and would complement an expanded
Heathrow but can not be a substitute.
Key promoters of high speed rail agree that a
link between Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds could not
replace a third runway.
Expansion is detrimental to the environment.
This is simply not the case.
The challenge is to expand without additional greenhouse gas
emissions. By placing an environmental cap on flights into
Heathrow it forces the industry to invest in cleaner and quieter
aircraft, the benefits of which go beyond UK airspace.
Heathrow expansion during Phase I of
development means reducing stacking and queuing on the runways
which could save an estimated 330,000 tonnes of Co2.
Expansion is against the interest of the
surrounding communities. This is not the real story.
Surveys conducted by various organisations, have shown that more
members of the local community support expansion than oppose
it.
In the five boroughs neighbouring the airport,
Heathrow is the lynch pin of the local economy with an average of 1
in every 15 employed at the airport. The total effect of not
expanding Heathrow could be as high as 57,000 out of the 172,000
jobs within the airport in terms of direct and indirect employment
– meaning 1 in 3 jobs going.
Given the volume of investment already
ploughed into Heathrow and the reliance of the local economy on the
airport, the idea of relocation of the hub would be disastrous from
both an economic and environmental standpoint.
What can you do in support of members’
jobs?
Write to your MP today – there’s no time to
delay! Put pressure on your MP to support the expansion.
“Backing Heathrow
means backing Britain - expansion is crucial to both UK employment
and the economy. There must be no further delay in this
process.”
Join
the Heathrow Expansion Supporters group by clicking here
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