Heathrow expansion would take thousands of jobs from other UK regions, report finds
A report by the Department for Transport shows that expanding Heathrow airport will take thousands of jobs from other regions of the UK, including almost 10,000 from the West Midlands alone.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
The report suggests that the jobs created at Heathrow would primarily represent jobs displaced from around the country, with airports in England and Wales likely to lose millions of passengers if the third runway goes ahead.
Imagine you have a big airport that lots of people use to fly to different places. If you build an even bigger airport, it might make it harder for people in other parts of the country to get jobs because the new airport will take some of the jobs away. This is what's happening with Heathrow airport, where building a new runway might take jobs away from other parts of the UK.
Analysis
A £33Bn Vote of Confidence
The proposed expansion of Heathrow airport has been met with skepticism by many, including Ed Miliband, the current foreign secretary. However, the government remains committed to the project, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham promising to accelerate the building of the third runway to open by 2035. The estimated cost of the project is £33bn, which has raised concerns about the economic viability of the expansion. Despite these concerns, the government insists that the benefits of the expansion will be felt across the UK, with up to 40% of the £2.6bn boost to the economy outside of London and the south-east.
Why Cursor?
The New Economics Foundation (NEF) has analyzed the government's own forecasts and found that the jobs created at Heathrow would primarily represent jobs displaced from around the country. By 2050, 15,200 aviation jobs that would otherwise accrue in the regions, and 6,400 jobs at other London and south-east airports, would go to Heathrow instead. This raises questions about the distribution of the gains from the expansion and whether it will truly benefit the regions that need it most.
The Road Ahead
The government's commitment to the expansion of Heathrow airport is clear, but the economic and environmental implications of the project are still uncertain. As the project moves forward, it is essential to consider the potential consequences of the expansion and ensure that the benefits are shared fairly across the UK.
Key points
- The expansion of Heathrow airport will take thousands of jobs from other regions of the UK.
- The jobs created at Heathrow would primarily represent jobs displaced from around the country.
- Airports in England and Wales are likely to lose millions of passengers if the third runway goes ahead.
- The government insists that the benefits of the expansion will be felt across the UK, with up to 40% of the £2.6bn boost to the economy outside of London and the south-east.
If the expansion of Heathrow airport is done correctly, it could bring in new jobs and economic growth to the UK, with up to 40% of the benefits going to regions outside of London and the south-east.
However, the expansion of Heathrow airport also has significant environmental implications, including the potential for significant health and wellbeing impacts on up to three million people living nearby.
