Today is the day we find out if the House of Commons will vote for Heathrow expansion, almost three years since the Airports Commission recommended that an expanded Heathrow was best for Britain, and the South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce is showing its full support on the expansion.
A vote for expansion will be a vote to secure Britain’s future as a global trading nation, boosting the economy across the whole of the UK. It will show international investors, our trading partners and our competitors that the United Kingdom is serious about being at the heart of the global economy and these bold decisions are needed to demonstrate that Britain is open for business at a time of change and uncertainty.
This is a decision that is above party politics, and as the voice of business, Heathrow needs you to make it clear that MPs will be held accountable if this growth is not unlocked for the sake of political game playing.It’s now or never. A positive vote will protect the country’s status as a major aviation hub; and send a clear signal to the world that the UK is open for business by injecting £14bn of private investment in to the UK economy.
It has always been clear that the Heathrow expansion will be entirely privately funded at no cost to the taxpayer and they have a strong track record of delivering high quality infrastructure on time and on budget, with their long-term shareholders already investing £12bn over the past decade to build Terminal 2 and Terminal 5.
Heather Myers, CEO of South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce said:
“Today is a very important day with the vote for Heathrow Expansion on the table. A vote for the expansion could mean a great step forward for businesses across the UK but especially in Wales as there could be direct impact on our economy and it is estimated that it will unlock more than 8,400 jobs across the Region, which will help build confidence at a time that is quite uncertain.
“A vote to proceed with expansion is a signal to businesses here at home that Westminster is serious about fixing the fundamentals and supporting UK growth in every region of the country, and if it does not go ahead we must hold our MPs responsible and push for more opportunities to help our economy and business future. No more excuses!”
