Decision on new airport capacity could make or break Durham Tees Valley Airport

A new report suggests that if the option to build a third runway in Heathrow were approved, Teesside would lose out

A decision on where to build new airport capacity in south-east England could affect Teesside, a report published today claims.

The report - Making Connections: Improving the UK’s Domestic Connectivity - suggests that if the option to build a third runway in Heathrow were approved, Teesside would lose out.

It concludes that only a new four-runway airport would restore the flight link between Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) and the UK’s main hub airport.

The report, by York Aviation and Oxford Economics, reveals that DTVA would gain a four flights a day service to London by 2050 with a new hub but that a third runway at Heathrow would not lead to a sustainable service to DTVA.

This is because a third runway at Heathrow would be expected to fill up quickly due to underlying demand and the pressure on airlines to use slots for the most profitable routes.

The report, by York Aviation and Oxford Economics, comes as the Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, decides which option to recommend for airport expansion in the south east of England.

Louise Congdon, Managing Partner at York Aviation, said: “Of all the options for expansion currently under consideration by the Airports Commission, a new four-runway hub airport would provide the nations and regions with the best connectivity to the UK’s main international airport.

“This could include eight new regional routes and a more frequent service for cities that have a Heathrow connection currently.

Renewed air link between DTVA and the UK’s hub airport has been calculated to be worth a £220m boost to Teesside every year as well as creating 2,180 new jobs.

Darlington Business Club is one Teesside business organisation which supports the benefits of a new four runway hub. A spokesman for the organisation said: “Darlington Business Club would be extremely supportive of any new opportunities that our members in the Tees Valley and Co. Durham region would have regarding greater connectivity to the country’s capital.

“Any improvement in the region’s transport infrastructure would always be welcomed. A new direct air link into the heart of London, can only lead to stronger relationships being built between the two regions which would of course have a positive impact on growth.

“It is absolutely essential that access directly to the heart of London is restored to our region. Replacing Heathrow with a larger national hub would benefit our region but only if this superhub had protected slots for DTVA.

“We are aware of a good number of local businesses who use DTVA, as it serves the East Coast of the UK perfectly, linking the major oil & gas, subsea and process manufacturing industries with bases in the Tees Valley and North of Scotland. Any opportunity to grow the Tees Valley’s links to a wider network of national and international businesses would be supported.”