Representation by Kai John Drury
- Date submitted
- 11 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The expansion of Gatwick Airport to include a second runway is vital to the transport provision and the economy of South Eastern England. Ultimately, the current one-runway layout severely limits the UK's second-busiest airport, also holding the accolade of Europe's busiest single-runway airport. As a regular Gatwick user and a South Londoner, these capacity issues have created numerous delayed or cancelled flights, either sitting on the taxiway or in a holding pattern waiting for takeoff and landing clearance. After recovering to 70% of its pre-pandemic passenger levels in just one year (2022), Gatwick is set to exceed its passenger and aircraft movement records in the coming years. As a major transport hub for the world's fifth largest economy, there must be provision for appropriate, needs-driven growth to remain competitive and provide the service and capacity required. The noise and broader environmental impacts are important, which is why Gatwick expansion is the obvious choice. The expansion plans make use of the existing northern runway, which is largely in situ and unlike other expansion options in the region (Heathrow, for example) does not require the large-scale destruction of greenbelt land. Given the current busy 24-hour schedule in and out of the airport, I can't see why a second runway and extra capacity would have a detrimental impact on localised pollution. If there is no expansion at Gatwick, there will either be less sympathetic expansion elsewhere in the South East or our aviation infrastructure will become completely overwhelmed and cripple our economy. Gatwick's proposal is proportionate and solves the capacity issues currently faced. That is why I wholeheartedly support this application and I wish to register as an interested party to further share my views as a stakeholder.