Engineering experts have urged the Government to rethink its plans for UK aviation and airport infrastructure development, including its decision to ban new runways at the country’s busiest airports.
In a new report published today, Rethinking Aviation, ICE warns that a ‘better not bigger’ approach to airport runway capacity could seriously undermine the UK’s global connectivity and competitiveness, and see us lagging behind North European rivals that have been boosting their hub runway capacity at a considerable rate.
The ICE report acknowledges that the Government has ruled out building additional runway capacity in the South East as part of the aim to reduce aviation emissions, and agrees that unrestrained growth in demand for air travel without quick improvements in aircraft efficiency would damage the environment and needs addressing. But it urges Government to think carefully about the UK ’s long-term airport infrastructure needs and the wider implications of its decision.
ICE Aviation Expert, Simon Godfrey-Arnold, said: “We agree the green agenda must be priority, and realise that when it comes to the UK ’s airport infrastructure needs, there are some tough political and public choices. But we believe there are choices that can secure the best outcomes for the environment, society and the economy.
Download the full report now.