Concorde’s longest serving pilot and the promoter of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link alignment (delivered on time and on budget, now HS1) put forward a brilliantly simple solution to the problem of capacity and congestion at Heathrow Airport in Double up on Heathrow: a simple, privately funded, affordable and achievable solution, published on Monday 8 July by the Centre for Policy Studies.
Jock Lowe and Mark Bostock set out their plans for “Heathrow Hub”, an integrated air and rail facility which would nearly double slot capacity at Heathrow while also mitigating noise and environmental concerns. It involves:
They calculate that, under this scheme, the average airport user charge would be only £24 per passenger (compared to Heathrow's current £18), whilst Lord Foster’s Thames Hub proposal would require a charge of at least £62 (a figure which would be even higher for Boris Island).
With economic growth in the UK being held back by the shortage of airport capacity in the South East and by the uncertainty over how this will be resolved, Jock Lowe and Mark Bostock demonstrate that “Heathrow Hub” has five main advantages:
*UPDATE*
The Davies Commission on airport capacity submitted its Interim Report on Tuesday 17 September 2013 and shortlisted Heathrow Hub's Northern runway proposals as outlined in this report.
This is fantastic news, and we will continue to make the case for the 'double up' option to be extended to the Southern runway, giving Heathrow four runways.
Media Impact:
‘Our proposals could give London the airport capacity it needs at a reasonable cost. Heathrow is arguably as important to UK economic competitiveness as the English language, our timezone and our legal system – why would we even consider dispensing with such an asset?’
‘‘The ‘quick, quiet and cost-effective’ solution – including the creation of a sixth terminal called ‘T6’ – would retain the West London airport’s status as the UK’s major air hub while reducing noise and sidestepping opposition to a new third runway.’