BUSINESS leaders in Glasgow have urged the new Government to expand Heathrow and build a new runway "before further UK connectivity is lost".
In a letter to the Herald, business chiefs including Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, and Ryan James, chairman of the Glasgow Restaurant Association, say a third runway at Heathrow will "deliver growth for our exports sector, support tourism from long haul destinations and attract inward investment to the city of Glasgow".
The letter is also signed by Stuart Patrick, chief executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and Amanda McMillan, CEO of Glasgow Airport, which was recently purchased by Ferrovial -the major shareholder in the consortium which owns Heathrow Airport Holdings.
The letter is also backed by the Howden Group, Glasgow's Leading Attractions and Greater Glasgow Hotels Association.
The Airports Commission is expected to submit its final recommendations to Government by the end of June.
It is considering whether to recommend a third runway at Heathrow or a second at Gatwick to increase capacity. The average number of daily flights departing from Scottish airports to Heathrow has declined from 50 in 2005 to 35 now as the hub has become increasingly congested.
The letter states: "We fully support expansion at Heathrow...We urge the Airports Commission and government to make the decision to expand Heathrow and get on with building a new runway before further UK connectivity is lost."
However, the new intake of MPs includes a strong cohort of Conservatives opposed to Heathrow expansion, including Boris Johnson and Zac Goldsmith.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye welcomed the support for a third runway.
He added: "It will create up to 16,000 new Scottish jobs, delivering £14 billion of economic benefit, exporting Scottish goods to emerging markets and making it easier for tourists, students and inward investors to come to Scotland.
"Let's be ambitious, let's expand Heathrow, let's get on with it."
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