Mayor Andy Street: Birmingham Airport has no need for a second runway
Andy Street says Birmingham Airport has no need for a second runway, insisting it needs to make better use of its existing capacity.
The West Midlands Mayor has come under fire for refusing to back a new runway at Birmingham Airport, with Labour MP Ian Austin accusing him of failing to stand up for jobs and businesses in the region.
Following the Commons vote to approve a third runway at Heathrow, Mr Austin said it was 'sad' that the Mayor had dismissed the case for expansion at Birmingham.
But Conservative Mr Street has defended his position, citing the huge capacity already available at Birmingham Airport as evidence that a second runway was not needed.
“I fear Ian may be confusing ‘expanding’ and ‘building a second runway’,” the Mayor said.
“There are bold plans to expand and improve Birmingham Airport, enhancing connectivity and creating jobs.
“That doesn’t involve building a runway when the airport isn’t even at 50 per cent capacity.”
He also highlighted his own Mayoral manifesto, where he stated he did not support a second runway for Birmingham.
“Unlike the other candidates in this election, I don’t think we need to build a second runway at Birmingham Airport,” he said.
“There are currently 11 million passenger journeys a year, and we can get to 30 million journeys a year with just one runway.
“Why would we tarmac over the green space around the airport if we don’t need to?
“We’d be much better using the capacity we already have, and making sure the airport is well connected to the rest of the region.”
In response Mr Austin, who has clashed with the Mayor over a number of issues over the last 12 months, said: "Andy hasn’t got the ambition to stand up for jobs and businesses in the region and our airport and argue with his Tory government in London."
This week MPs voted 415 to 119 in favour of building a third runway at Heathrow, with Tories under strict orders to back the plan.
Three Black Country Labour MPs opposed the move.
They included Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds, who said that by not looking at expanding Birmingham airport the Government had 'yet again failed to consider the economic needs of the West Midlands region'.
In a statement issued before the vote, Birmingham airport urged the Government to help it grow by improving transport links in the West Midlands, instead of 'focusing narrowly on connectivity to Heathrow'.
