This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jul/18/stansted-aiport-second-runway-boris-davies-commission
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Stansted willing to build second runway as Davies commission deadline arrives | Stansted willing to build second runway as Davies commission deadline arrives |
| (2 months later) | |
| Stansted airport is expected to give the government the option of building a second runway there on Friday's deadline for submissions to the Davies commission on airport expansion. | Stansted airport is expected to give the government the option of building a second runway there on Friday's deadline for submissions to the Davies commission on airport expansion. |
| The owner of Stansted, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), will put in a "flexible" submission to the government's airports commission which would allow for the expansion at the Essex site that has been called for by London mayor Boris Johnson and even rival Gatwick. However, MAG will also argue that the government should make more use of existing capacity in the north of England rather than channel traffic through the southeast. | The owner of Stansted, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), will put in a "flexible" submission to the government's airports commission which would allow for the expansion at the Essex site that has been called for by London mayor Boris Johnson and even rival Gatwick. However, MAG will also argue that the government should make more use of existing capacity in the north of England rather than channel traffic through the southeast. |
| Stansted is adding its submission to those of Heathrow, which this week published three alternatives for a third runway, and Gatwick, which has submitted plans for a second runway in 2019. | Stansted is adding its submission to those of Heathrow, which this week published three alternatives for a third runway, and Gatwick, which has submitted plans for a second runway in 2019. |
| Johnson has proposed two different sites in the Thames estuary or the transformation of Stansted into a new, four-runway hub airport, to replace Heathrow. | Johnson has proposed two different sites in the Thames estuary or the transformation of Stansted into a new, four-runway hub airport, to replace Heathrow. |
| Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary made a submission on Thursday calling for extra runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, urging the government not to waste years and billions of pounds on "Boris Island". | Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary made a submission on Thursday calling for extra runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, urging the government not to waste years and billions of pounds on "Boris Island". |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, instigated the commission last year after pressure from his own MPs and business groups to reconsider the case for airport expansion in south-east England. | The prime minister, David Cameron, instigated the commission last year after pressure from his own MPs and business groups to reconsider the case for airport expansion in south-east England. |
| Heathrow and others in the aviation industry have claimed that Britain's economic interests are harmed by insufficient space at the nation's main airport to meet pent-up demand for long-haul flights to emerging markets. | Heathrow and others in the aviation industry have claimed that Britain's economic interests are harmed by insufficient space at the nation's main airport to meet pent-up demand for long-haul flights to emerging markets. |
| The commission, led by former Financial Services Authority boss Howard Davies, will consider all the submissions and draw up a shortlist of feasible options to be announced by the end of this year in an interim report. It will issue its final recommendations in 2015. | The commission, led by former Financial Services Authority boss Howard Davies, will consider all the submissions and draw up a shortlist of feasible options to be announced by the end of this year in an interim report. It will issue its final recommendations in 2015. |
| Heathrow: a third runway | Heathrow: a third runway |
| The idea Heathrow says the only airport capacity that matters is hub capacity. This means extra runways are needed at an airport big enough to host connecting flights whose passengers then transfer to long-haul services. | The idea Heathrow says the only airport capacity that matters is hub capacity. This means extra runways are needed at an airport big enough to host connecting flights whose passengers then transfer to long-haul services. |
| The airport is 99% full and it has set out three possible locations for a third runway, although combinations of their plans could also allow a fourth or even fifth runway in the future. | The airport is 99% full and it has set out three possible locations for a third runway, although combinations of their plans could also allow a fourth or even fifth runway in the future. |
| The cost Between £14bn and £19bn, paid for by Heathrow. The taxpayer might get a £6bn-8bn bill for enhanced infrastructure around the airport. | The cost Between £14bn and £19bn, paid for by Heathrow. The taxpayer might get a £6bn-8bn bill for enhanced infrastructure around the airport. |
| The downside At least one of six villages nearby would be flattened. An extra 240,000 planes a year would fly over London and, while Heathrow claims planes will become quieter thanks to technological breakthroughs, opponents say noise would only increase. | The downside At least one of six villages nearby would be flattened. An extra 240,000 planes a year would fly over London and, while Heathrow claims planes will become quieter thanks to technological breakthroughs, opponents say noise would only increase. |
| Will it happen? The bookies' favourite. Heathrow has the most powerful voice in British aviation and is home to British Airways. If Davies accepts the hub airport theory, this is the easiest option. But it would be bitterly opposed by environmentalists and residents of west London. | Will it happen? The bookies' favourite. Heathrow has the most powerful voice in British aviation and is home to British Airways. If Davies accepts the hub airport theory, this is the easiest option. But it would be bitterly opposed by environmentalists and residents of west London. |
| Gatwick and Stansted | Gatwick and Stansted |
| The idea Gatwick has launched constant broadsides against Heathrow's argument that a single hub is the most desirable outcome for the country. | The idea Gatwick has launched constant broadsides against Heathrow's argument that a single hub is the most desirable outcome for the country. |
| It points out that 90% of passengers at London airports start or end their journey in the capital and most passengers prefer to fly direct to their destinations, instead of transferring to a connecting flight at a hub airport. | It points out that 90% of passengers at London airports start or end their journey in the capital and most passengers prefer to fly direct to their destinations, instead of transferring to a connecting flight at a hub airport. |
| . Global Infrastructure Partners, Gatwick's owner, believes that former owners BAA had little interest in developing a rival to Heathrow. GIP says proper investment is making Gatwick a genuine competitor. A new runway would let it grow further when it nears capacity in the next decade. To make a "constellation" of competing airports, it suggests giving Stansted a second runway, too. | . Global Infrastructure Partners, Gatwick's owner, believes that former owners BAA had little interest in developing a rival to Heathrow. GIP says proper investment is making Gatwick a genuine competitor. A new runway would let it grow further when it nears capacity in the next decade. To make a "constellation" of competing airports, it suggests giving Stansted a second runway, too. |
| The cost An estimated £5bn, paid by the airport, although Gatwick has not made its submission public. | The cost An estimated £5bn, paid by the airport, although Gatwick has not made its submission public. |
| The downside About 17 listed buildings would be demolished, although the area is scantily populated compared with Heathrow. | The downside About 17 listed buildings would be demolished, although the area is scantily populated compared with Heathrow. |
| Will it happen? 4-1 against. An agreement rules out new runways until 2019 and, for all the "constellation" talk, airlines pay through the nose to be at Heathrow rather than take up the empty space at Gatwick. Bar a radical shift in mindset or economics, there seems little rush to expand here. | Will it happen? 4-1 against. An agreement rules out new runways until 2019 and, for all the "constellation" talk, airlines pay through the nose to be at Heathrow rather than take up the empty space at Gatwick. Bar a radical shift in mindset or economics, there seems little rush to expand here. |
| Hub to the east | Hub to the east |
| The idea The London mayor agrees that one, bigger, hub airport is necessary. But Johnson is against expanding Heathrow, pointing to the hundreds of thousands of people already badly affected by aircraft noise. He says a new, four-runway hub could regenerate poorer areas to the east of London. | The idea The London mayor agrees that one, bigger, hub airport is necessary. But Johnson is against expanding Heathrow, pointing to the hundreds of thousands of people already badly affected by aircraft noise. He says a new, four-runway hub could regenerate poorer areas to the east of London. |
| His favoured scheme is the Lord Foster proposal on the Isle of Grain, although he has also submitted plans to the Davies commission for an alternative on an artificial island in the Thames estuary or for the substantial redevelopment of Stansted. | His favoured scheme is the Lord Foster proposal on the Isle of Grain, although he has also submitted plans to the Davies commission for an alternative on an artificial island in the Thames estuary or for the substantial redevelopment of Stansted. |
| The cost At least £23bn – but additional infrastructure such as new roads and railways pushes the cost past £50bn. Johnson hopes for some private investment but his record with London's cable car and bike hire suggests taxpayers would foot most of the bill. | The cost At least £23bn – but additional infrastructure such as new roads and railways pushes the cost past £50bn. Johnson hopes for some private investment but his record with London's cable car and bike hire suggests taxpayers would foot most of the bill. |
| The downside Noise and air pollution would affect far fewer people than Heathrow does, but countryside would disappear and new towns would have to be developed to sustain the airport. Isolation would put greater pressure on surface links and mean longer journeys to the airport. | The downside Noise and air pollution would affect far fewer people than Heathrow does, but countryside would disappear and new towns would have to be developed to sustain the airport. Isolation would put greater pressure on surface links and mean longer journeys to the airport. |
| Will it happen? The Isle of Grain, not favoured by the bookies, looks more feasible than the Boris Island schemes. But it would have to deal with a range of issues including airspace congestion. The accompanying closure of Heathrow makes it an enormous political gamble. | Will it happen? The Isle of Grain, not favoured by the bookies, looks more feasible than the Boris Island schemes. But it would have to deal with a range of issues including airspace congestion. The accompanying closure of Heathrow makes it an enormous political gamble. |
| The regions | The regions |
| The idea Birmingham and Manchester airports have plenty of spare capacity but millions of passengers who live on their doorsteps travel down to London to get a plane. If these regional airports were talked up by the government and designated national airports, with supporting infrastructure and incentives, they believe more foreign airlines would use them. Between them, they could handle 56m more passengers, which is more than a third runway at Heathrow would bring. | The idea Birmingham and Manchester airports have plenty of spare capacity but millions of passengers who live on their doorsteps travel down to London to get a plane. If these regional airports were talked up by the government and designated national airports, with supporting infrastructure and incentives, they believe more foreign airlines would use them. Between them, they could handle 56m more passengers, which is more than a third runway at Heathrow would bring. |
| The cost No new runways needed, although the HS2 railway (£50bn) is a crucial ingredient in its success. | The cost No new runways needed, although the HS2 railway (£50bn) is a crucial ingredient in its success. |
| The downside More noise, but less upheaval. Birmingham has already started expanding its runway without demolitions, to fit the largest long-haul planes, and Manchester has two runways for the job now. | The downside More noise, but less upheaval. Birmingham has already started expanding its runway without demolitions, to fit the largest long-haul planes, and Manchester has two runways for the job now. |
| Will it happen? It could happen by default if Davies and the government shy away from building new runways in south-east England. | Will it happen? It could happen by default if Davies and the government shy away from building new runways in south-east England. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version