South Yorkshire Chambers Welcome Expansion Plans For London Airports, But Emphasise That Doncaster Sheffield Airport Also Needs Government Support

For context, the rumoured projects for London include a third runway at Heathrow, a second runway at Gatwick and an increase of terminal capacity at Luton. All of which have big implications for trade, international investment and supply chains for businesses across the UK, including in South Yorkshire.

Given that these economic benefits will be felt across the country — and not just in the capital — the respective Chambers of Commerce for Doncaster, Sheffield and Barnsley & Rotherham are naturally on board with the plans. Yet they are also eager to see a similar level of support being extended to regional hubs in places like South Yorkshire.

Commenting on this, and how it pertains to the imminent rebooting of DSA, the Chief Execs for the three South Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce issued the following joint statement:

“Echoing the sentiments of our umbrella body, The British Chambers of Commerce, we welcome the touted expansions for these London airports and realise how important they are for driving growth.

“Our latest Quarterly Economic Survey results show that almost every indicator we have for measuring business confidence is dropping like a stone right now, and we also know that these trends are being observed elsewhere around the UK. In such times of stress and stagnation, we desperately need to speed up infrastructure investment and that’s exactly what these proposals promise to do. After all, boosting the capacity of the UK’s international hubs will help increase trade, attract investment and unlock new supply opportunities for SMEs from all over the nation.

“In short, they are plans that are easy to get behind and we must resist the urge to turn this into another North-South divide issue. What’s good for these airports is good for the UK’s business community at large.

“That being said, regional hubs like Doncaster Sheffield Airport need Government support of this nature as well. With its future now secured, the case for DSA is clearer than ever. Not only does it have the potential to generate up to £1.56bn in net benefits over the next three decades, but it will also create thousands of jobs too.

“Meanwhile, its existing runway is widely recognised for being of a high quality and its length allows planes to optimise fuel in take-off. As we endeavour to reduce the carbon impact of air travel, it is a resource that the Government should therefore be prioritising alongside these new expansions, especially since it does not require anything in the way of major construction or repairs, again, minimising its environmental impact.

“Of course, DSA is also just important for the connectivity and growth of South Yorkshire as a whole. Sheffield is currently the UK’s only core city without immediate airport access; a want that is holding it back from unlocking its true potential. It’s an internationally significant place with industry-leading companies, a pair of acclaimed universities that are respected the world over, and a strong manufacturing base.

“To reiterate, the UK needs both international and regional hubs and support for one should never come at the expense of the other. We want to see these expansions for London’s airports but are also keen to see the Government getting behind sites like DSA as well. That way, we can ensure that everyone will reap the benefits.”