Leading logistics and transport professional body, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), has responded to the publication of today’s Airports Commission’s final report.

The Commission has recommended the Heathrow North West Runway option, which was also preferred by the CILT, primarily on transport and logistics considerations. CILT therefore reminds the Government that its preference was based upon strict conditions to be laid down to guarantee that the environmental impact of this option is minimised. 

The Commission's recommendations go a long way towards meeting those conditions, but there are areas where they should be more definite, as follows:

• The Commission's recommendation that additional operations at an expanded Heathrow must be contingent on acceptable performance on air quality, is in line with CILT's proposal for a cap on aircraft movements if airport-related air quality limits are exceeded
• The Commission's recommendation for a ban on night flights and a noise envelope goes some way towards CILT's proposals, but is forecast to result in 550,000 people within the 55dB Lden noise contour, compared with CILT's recommendation of 500,000 people, with additional aircraft movements contingent on this number not being exceeded
• The Commission's recommendation that Heathrow Airport should be held to performance targets to increase the percentage of employees and passengers accessing the airport by public transport, should be strengthened by making additional passenger numbers contingent upon achieving no growth in airport-related road traffic, as was proposed by the Airport

CILT’s submissions to the Government stated that any expansion of runway capacity should not be pre-funded by the airlines, and the proposals should be approved on the basis that no such pre-funding will be permitted. 

CILT also recommended that it should be a condition of any approval for any new runway capacity that slots are reserved for key domestic routes. 

The recommended option will result in new arrival and departure routes. There is a process set out by the Civil Aviation Authority for the Airspace Change Sponsor to consult on these routes; recent experience has been that such changes have raised major concerns in affected communities. CILT therefore recommends that the required consultation should commence as soon as possible, to ensure that communities are fully aware of the situation.

CILT is pleased to note that the Commission recognises that a second runway at Gatwick remains a credible option for the longer term. CILT recommends that the land required for a second runway at Gatwick should continue to be safeguarded, and plans for highways and railways should assume a second runway at Gatwick in the longer term. The Commission’s Interim Report recommended one new runway by 2030 and another by 2050.

CILT now urges the Government to act quickly in: 

• Making a firm decision – a decision repeatedly postponed over the last half century
• Bring forward a long term, UK wide, airports strategy for Parliamentary approval 
• Give full consideration to the recommendations contained in the Commission’s Interim Report and other documents for surface access and for other airports

Paul Le Blond, Chairman of the CILT's Aviation Forum, said "This report is based on sound evidence and the Government should act quickly and implement its recommendations. CILT's expertise and knowledge of transport is that soundly-based decisions, even if opposed by some groups, can establish a long term strategy which balances the interests of all."

CILT welcomes the final report and pays tribute to the work of the Commission, in particular noting the full and extensive consultation with, and involvement of, all interested parties.