THE UK needs a four-runway airport either at Heathrow or Luton if it wants to compete with the likes of Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam, a report by a think tank said today.
The best option would be four runways immediately west of the current Heathrow site, the report from Policy Exchange said, with a four-runway airport at Luton would be the next-best option.
The report said Thames Estuary airport plans, supported by London Mayor Boris Johnson, were not practical because it would be too difficult to get to and would present greater environmental and construction challenges than expansion at Heathrow. Also ruled out were four-runway airports at Gatwick or Stansted.
Tim Leunig, chief economist at liberal think tank CentreForum, who wrote the report, said: "We can and should expand aviation capacity in south east England. Doing so will send a much needed signal to people that Britain is open for business."
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