This morning London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged new Prime Minister Theresa May to make a decision regarding London airport expansion and expressed his support for a second runaway at Gatwick Airport. The Evening Standard reported that the London Mayor has stated Gatwick Airport expansion is ‘the only show in town’ and voiced concerns that a third runway at Heathrow Airport would result in political turmoil in the capital and years of legal challenges.
A Boost for Gatwick Airport Development
Following the result of the EU referendum, Gatwick Airport recently announced it was to boost investment at the site to £200 million, all of which would go towards improving existing facilities. This contributes to a total investment of £1.2 billion by Gatwick Airport over the next five years.
Gatwick CEO Stuart Wingate has stated, “As we approached full capacity, this increased investment paves the way for our second runway project.”
“As we enter a new era for Britain, we must be agile and decisive as a country to show the world that we are open for business.”
With the number of passengers passing through Gatwick Airport growing by 10 million since 2009, it seems that Gatwick Airport is now being presented as the only viable option by the Mayor’s office as well as the airport administration.
Economic Impact
Sadiq Khan goes even further in his assurances that Gatwick Airport provides the only valid solution to the ongoing London expansion problems.
Mr Khan told the Standard, “There are no legal obstacles, it’s cheaper, they’re ready to go, there would be jobs and growth in that part of the city as a consequence and nowhere near the same problems with noise or air as Heathrow.”
“It would bring substantial economic benefits and very clearly demonstrate to the rest of the world that London is open.”
Benefits for Car Parking at Gatwick Airport?
Whether this increased investment or proposed new runway would have any direct impact on the decision to increase car parking at Gatwick Airport remains to be seen. It was recently reported that the increased demand for Gatwick Airport parking spaces has resulted in the dumping of cars by rogue firms, but even these incidents have yet to persuade local authorities to greenlight new car parking at Gatwick Airport.
If a second runway does get the go-ahead from the government, this could provide more impetus to sort out the increasing amount of problems associated with car parking at Gatwick Airport. But until firm decisions are made about London airport expansion by the new Prime Minister, whether Sadiq Khan is successful in his quest for Gatwick Airport development remains to be seen.