Originally written on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
It is not very often that I get involved in politics. Actually, that is not quite true, I am often venting about British politics, often with my good freind and adversary Mr Lambert Simnel, I just tend not to write about it very often. The last time I did was an open, unanswered letter to one David Milliband, leader of the Labour party and current and future leader of the Opposition.
But, I digress. For the last few years the UK has been prevaricating about building a third runway at what is the worlds second or third busiest airport, depending on how it is counted. Last year, a snatch under 70 million people trudged and trumped their way through Heathrow, with the forecast for 2012 topping the 70 million mark, possibly more with the boost offered to it through the magnificent London Olympics.
British politics is awash with a variety of views and opinions, some very well crafted and constructed, others clearly being the deranged rantings of a hyena at an ‘all you can eat’ vegan buffet. However, all the views are polarised around the central themes of “the UK will die if we do not build a third runway” through to “how could you possibly even think about putting more traffic through what is one of most frustrating places on the planet…..”.
A summary of the views and links to more of the same can be found here on the BBC’s excellent news pages.
I actually agree with the Government that London should not get a third runway. HMG is also supported by Greenpeace, the Friends of the Earth people who were inspired that fabulous Apollo 8 Earth Rise picture from 1968, local businesses residents groups and noisy NIMBYs, as well a few opposition MP’s and less glorious Liberal Democrats. A a motley crew of discontents and zealots and uncomfortable bedfellows indeed.
The problem is, this is the correct decision, for the wrongreason. It is like the fabled insane scientist who removes crickets legs, one by one, clapping to make them jump and then declaring that removing their legs makes them deaf, which is why they stop jumping. Thorough thinking with a poor conclusion. The fact is, the UK does indeed desperately need extra air capacity for future growth. Industrial, economic and tourist growth.
Beijing / Peking has, each year, added capacity and growth and is now vying with Heathrow for the second / third spot, Paris has re-built Charles De Gaul, although they have made a bit of a mess of it, Franhkfurt has spent four years building the most heinous artificial bird song corridor to get to the new terminal, to allow the ECB Euro-crats to drop in and grumble about Greek and Spanish debt, while casting a weary eye over the Italians, Irish, Portuguese and the occasional furtive glance at Paris. The UK in this sense, simply can not be left behind.
The problem is, the south east of England is pretty much stuffed full of houses, airports, industry and marketing offices. There is very little room left for a third runway and sadly almost no green and pleasant lands on which to drop one in.
The solution, as I see it, is to expand one or more of the very fine regional airports in the North of England. Leeds, East Mid’s, Doncaster and a little know place to the west of Leeds, Manchester. There is plenty of capacity there and more importantly, lots of room to expand. Extra capacity can be added to all of these wonderful locations.
The argument against this has always been that the world wants to do business with London and the south. I am not sure that is true, but lets assume that it is. Well, this would be the perfect opportunity for an integrated transport policy. To join the airports directly with a high speed rail link to London. Leeds to London in 60 mins. For international flights, check in could be done at the railway station, say Kings Cross, St Pancras, Piccadilly etc, one boards the train and arrives pretty much at the departure gate; baggage ahead of you.
We’ve been doing something similar through the Channel Tunnel for some time. It seems to work. It could work in a very similar way on the return leg. Incidentally, the picture here is of a 1977 British Rail InterCIty 125, the 125 being 125 mph. A 200 kmh train years ahead of it’s time. Read more about that triumph here.
To me, this is a win win scenario. The UK gets is extra capacity carried by the North of England, we all get some more high speed trains and there is a distinct possibility that tourist may also stop off in places like Yorkshire to take in places such as Whitby, home of fish and chips, home of HMS Beagle as well as James Cook and his Endeavour, as well as being the inspiration for Bramstokers Dracula and the place where he wrote most of the initial story. There is Leeds, power house of the industrial revolution and the home of Monty Burton, inventor of the ready made suite and home to what was the largest clothes factory ion the world, The Brontë Sisters were solid and stout Yorkshire girls. There is the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank, in Manchester, the entire city of York, Harrogate and the Stray; the list is frankly endless…..
All of these gems, all of these wonders are available to the avant garde traveller which will be only one short step away…. if only the UK would stop focussing on it’s south east bias, wake and smell the Tetely’s and realise that there is an opportunity.
Do not build more congestion in London. Invite the world to the rest of England. They will enjoy it. It will be worth it.
Mark Daniels 