Doncaster MP backs Heathrow expansion - and calls for a link to town's own airport

A Doncaster MP has called for more links to be established between Heathrow and Doncaster Sheffield airports - after proposals to expand the London-based site were approved.
Caroline Flint MP.Caroline Flint MP.
Caroline Flint MP.

A plan to build a third runway at Heathrow was backed in the House of Commons on Monday by 415 votes to 119 - a majority of 296.

One of the politicians supporting it was Labour's Don Valley MP Caroline Flint who also called for Doncaster Sheffield Airport to be made into a logistics hub for Heathrow.

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Lord Paul Deighton, Healthrow's chairman, previously said the third runway expansion could bring in £9 billion worth of economic benefits to Yorkshire and potentially result in 11, 200 jobs for the region.

These were all reasons why Ms Flint was fully behind the expansion plans.

“I want Doncaster Sheffield Airport to have a connection to Heathrow and I want to see Doncaster shortlisted for a Heathrow logistics hub to bring more jobs to South Yorkshire.

“This decision isn’t just a London issue. Heathrow is the UK’s front door."

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She added: "All of the south east airports will be full to overflowing by 2030 and Heathrow is full today.

"So businesses and passengers are taking flights to Amsterdam and elsewhere to hop onto another connecting flight. That is losing the UK businesses and passengers.

"It also doesn’t reduce emissions, it just transfers them across the channel. A third runway at Heathrow is the right decision for the UK and for Doncaster."

The MP believes the UK should seek to rival Norway which aims for all short haul flights to be electric-powered by 2040.

"Low carbon technologies will bring some of the new jobs of the future. The Government needs to decide if the UK is a leader or a follower in the environmental race.”