Birmingham Airport expresses mixed opinions over the report by Lord Mawhinney into High Speed Rail Links to Heathrow, whilst noting that Lord Mawhinney has not unequivocally recommended such a link.
Unfortunately, the report seems fixated with the notion that a High Speed link should draw in more traffic to Heathrow, rather than distribute the excessive demand elsewhere. Whilst this may be good news for BAA shareholders, it may not be such good news for regional economies.
The point of High Speed Rail in the UK is not to benefit one already-overloaded Airport in the South East, or indeed be seen solely in an aviation context. HS2 must have an equitable effect for the Country as a whole, and generate opportunity for more jobs and prosperity in the regions. The Mawhinney report, presumably informed by huge vested interest, thus compounds the ‘Heathrow Myth’.
The biggest myth is the erroneous assumption that Heathrow has to continue to be the UK’s ‘only Hub Airport’. Of course, Heathrow is a hub for British Airways but that’s about it. Other forward-looking Countries (for example, Germany) have chosen to spread aviation demand across a number of major airports, and often to link those Airports and other key centres with excellent surface access, sometimes including High Speed Rail. For example, Frankfurt and Koln Airports can be used interchangeably to reach those Cities, with efficient rail links enabling people to ‘fly the train’ for part of their journey. Birmingham Airport is already working with potential partners to see how this might work with Birmingham as the entry point to the UK, and fast journey time by train to central London (Virgin Trains has an aspiration to make the journey, on existing tracks, in around 50 minutes).
In these uncertain times, whether act of volcano or something more sinister, it also makes sense on the part of National Resilience not to ‘place all of one’s eggs in the same basket’, and to deploy National Strategic assets appropriately.
Birmingham Airport (amongst other major regional Airports) is a Strategic National Asset which, with emerging Government thinking, can easily form part of the solution to the 'Heathrow Problem'. There is spare capacity at Birmingham - enough capacity to take another 9 million passengers immediately – and more than another 21 million passengers in future years, as it improves its capability with a modest runway extension, for which Planning Consent has already been given.
Furthermore, Euston is only 70 minutes from Birmingham Airport and Virgin Trains has expressed a desire to reduce this to around 50 minutes. With HS2 in place this becomes 38 minutes. Even now many in the South East can probably get to Birmingham as quickly as they could reach Heathrow's check-in desks. It just needs people to think about their journey in a new way, and not to be bound by old habits.
Helping to solve the 'Heathrow Problem' by adding to Birmingham's wider portfolio will help to create jobs and generate inward investment, on top of the 21,000 regional jobs that are expected to be created up to 2030 by expansion that is already planned and which already has permission. Other Regional Airports would doubtless benefit in similar ways.
Around 50% of the UK population is less than a two-hour drive from Birmingham. High Speed Rail will be the equivalent of placing Birmingham in ‘Zone 4’ of the Underground Map.
Birmingham Airport has an excellent environmental record and one of the most stringent night flying regimes - there are binding agreements in place to protect the interests of local people. However, within those binding agreements there is still tremendous opportunity. The Airport is running at less than 40% capacity. Making best use of the UK's strategic resources can only be in everyone’s interests.
Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“The Mawhinney report is useful in that it does not unequivocally recommend a direct HS2 link to Heathrow. However, parts of it seem at odds with emerging Government thinking. A more efficient use of Regional Airports, linked to High-Speed Rail, should mean that we will be able to dispel the Heathrow myth once and for all, rather than draw jobs out of the regions and deliver them to the Heathrow area.
“In these difficult times it makes sense to use and sensibly improve the assets that you have got, rather than building whole new runways and demolishing whole villages. Those days are over.
“Aviation has its part to play in an integrated transport system, and rail must play a part in distributing the demand for International Gateways, to Airports that have capacity. Birmingham is a prime example as it is just over an hour from London.
“Birmingham Airport is a vital yet underused piece of National strategic infrastructure. It is already the Midlands' premier international gateway.
In addition to this important role, the prospect of HS2 from Central London to BIA will make journey times comparable with Gatwick and Heathrow, and shorter than Stansted and Luton.
Paul continued,
“We have plenty of capacity and, linked to high-speed rail, we are uniquely positioned to attract passengers from the overheated South East. I hope that the Government’s new thinking will encourage others to take a fresh look at their travel habits – and see that there are some easier alternatives to the ‘received wisdom’.
“Distributing demand to Regional Airports with spare capacity – not just Birmingham - will create jobs, help to rebuild local economies, and encourage new ways of looking at problems.
“Birmingham is famous for Chocolate, Cars, Canals, Culture – and lots more. Positioned at the heart of the country we are perfectly placed for those visitors from abroad who want to experience all that the region, and further afield, has to offer. Birmingham’s reputation continues to rise and is truly a destination which provides the perfect port of entry foreign visitors as well as UK Nationals travelling overseas.”