A commission of influential London business leaders has denounced the coalition as "negligent" for ruling out a third runway at Heathrow, and called on them to reconsider all the options for greater airport capacity in the south-east.
London First, a lobbying group representing many of the capital's biggest employers in the City and beyond, has launched a report describing an expanded at Heathrow as the "only credible option" for the capital. It accuses the government of being unwilling to consider "politically difficult solutions".
The third runway was explicitly ruled out in the coalition agreement. While BAA, the owner of Heathrow, together with airlines, businesses and unions have argued that expansion is necessary to preserve its status as an international hub airport, plans adopted by Gordon Brown's Labour government were fought by the Tories in opposition.
The current transport secretary, Justine Greening, campaigned locally as MP for Putney against the proposals.
The criticism of the government comes in a report by London First's Connectivity Commission, made up of senior business people including the managing directors of leading banks and retailers.
Peter Robinson, the chairman of commercial law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, who chaired the commission, said: "Significant improvement is needed in London's connectivity to emerging international markets as well as to the rest of the UK – but this can be achieved if government grasps the severity of the problem. Government must prioritise investment in transport that contributes most to economic growth."
Jo Valentine, the chief executive of London First, said the government urgently needed to get to grips with the pressures on transport – "particularly our vital air links".
She said: "Rather than kicking politically difficult solutions into the long grass it should consider all options and look at what is best for the UK's prosperity. It is negligent of government to continue to rule out a third runway at Heathrow when it should be looking at all options in its aviation review."
The government is expected to lay out its plans for aviation in the spring, when it may call for more evidence on the need for expanded airport capacity in south-east England. The renewed calls for Heathrow expansion come after Boris Johnson claimed his proposals for a Thames Estuary airport were gaining traction in Downing Street ahead of the review.
Last month a group of 30 Conservative MPs backed a report calling to re-examine the case for a third runway.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: "As the chancellor made clear in his autumn statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at Heathrow.
