Aviation Services for the City of London

Businesses regard good air links as vital to their future competitiveness says a new report commissioned by the Corporation of London and written by Oxford Economic Forecasting and the Aviation & Travel Consultancy.

The report, published on 13 December 2002, is based on the results of a questionnaire survey and detailed case study interviews carried out with a wide range of companies based in the City and the Central London Business District.

Key points from the report:

• While London is currently well-served in comparison to other centres there is a need for further investment if this position is to be maintained.
  
• The Government should make improvements in air services in the South East one of its priorities.
  
• Business would prefer new runways to be provided at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick rather than the development of a new airport at Cliffe which has very little support in the questionnaire.
  
• The Government should seek to provide additional runway capacity more rapidly than the current plans imply.
  
• There is an urgent need to upgrade access (both by rail and by road) to airports, and that any airport expansion plans must be linked to relevant improvements in ground infrastructure.
  
  

Dame Judith Mayhew, Chairman of the Corporation of London’s Policy and Resources Committee said, “This report brings to prominence the opinions of businesses that depend on good air services to maintain their competitive position. As such it should make a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate on airport expansion.”

To download a copy of the report, please visit the Corporation of London’s web site: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/business_city/research_statistics/pdf/aviation_services.pdf