Last week Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to grow the economy including with fast-tracked privately funded mega projects. South Wales has high unemployment levels. An airport of the size envisaged would provide that economic growth generator which Reeves says is vital.

However, she is backing construction of a third runway and a sixth terminal at London Heathrow Airport to create a ‘national’ super world hub. One might think that will help residents in south Wales have more flight options and so benefit Wales’ economy. Both are unlikely.

The argument is that Heathrow will be come a world hub for the UK. This makes little sense when considering the long land journey from north and south Wales. For those residents, the creation of increased services from big hub airports would provide shorter overall journey times. These would include Manchester for north Wales, Birmingham for mid-Wales and a Western Gateway Airport (WGA) in south-east Wales.

South-east England has an overheated economy with high wages, is over-polluted, over-congested, with little suitable land available and at premium prices.

Runway capacity is only part of the inadequate transport........

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