CILT urges Government to adopt national strategy for airport expansion

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK) is calling on the Government to rethink its approach to aviation growth, arguing that future airport expansion should be based on a nationwide strategy rather than focusing primarily on Heathrow.

In a new policy report, CILT says the UK's long-term aviation capacity should be considered as part of a broader national transport and economic strategy, with greater emphasis placed on the role regional airports can play in supporting connectivity, trade and economic growth.

The recommendations come as the Department for Transport (DfT) consults on its proposed framework for Heathrow's expansion, a project that has dominated UK aviation policy discussions for more than two decades.

Looking beyond Heathrow

While acknowledging Heathrow's importance as the UK's principal hub airport, CILT argues that concentrating future capacity around a single airport risks overlooking opportunities elsewhere in the national aviation network.

The organisation believes airports across the UK have significant potential to accommodate additional passenger and freight traffic, helping to spread economic benefits more evenly between regions while strengthening domestic and international connectivity.

It says future investment decisions should be based on objective assessment rather than an assumption that additional aviation growth must be centred on Heathrow.

A wider transport perspective

The report recommends that airport expansion should be assessed alongside other transport infrastructure, including road and rail connectivity, to ensure airports are fully integrated into wider regional transport networks.

CILT argues that considering aviation in isolation risks missing opportunities to improve multimodal connectivity and maximise the economic contribution of airports outside the South East.

The report also highlights the importance of recognising the growing role of regional airports in supporting local economies, attracting investment and improving access to international markets.

Balancing economic and environmental priorities

The debate surrounding airport expansion has increasingly evolved beyond the question of runway capacity alone.

While Heathrow continues to argue that expansion would strengthen global trade links and improve the UK's international competitiveness, recent government analysis has also highlighted the environmental impacts, infrastructure demands and wider societal considerations associated with major airport development.

CILT believes future policy should carefully balance economic benefits with environmental objectives, ensuring investment decisions reflect regional demand, sustainability goals and long-term national transport priorities.

Call for a more integrated aviation policy

Chris Tarry, Chair of the Aviation Policy Group at CILT UK, said aviation policy should support the entire UK rather than focusing predominantly on one location.

"Airport expansion policy must be considered in the context of the whole UK aviation system and not restricted to one region. Our experts have considered all the facts and what is best for the nation as a whole.

"We firmly believe decisions should be based on objective evidence, regional demand, economic benefit and environmental impacts—ensuring that growth is not automatically associated with Heathrow alone.

"The UK has significant untapped potential at many airports, alongside growing opportunities in air cargo and regional connectivity. A revised Airports National Policy Statement provides the opportunity to establish a more balanced and nationally integrated aviation strategy."

Shaping the future of UK aviation

The report adds another voice to the ongoing debate over how the UK should plan for future aviation demand.

Rather than viewing Heathrow expansion as the sole solution to future capacity requirements, CILT argues that a more balanced approach—one that fully utilises the strengths of regional airports while improving connections between aviation and other transport modes—could deliver broader economic benefits and create a more resilient national airport network.

As the Government reviews the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) and considers the future of airport capacity, the report calls for aviation policy to move beyond individual airport projects and towards a coordinated strategy designed to support sustainable growth across the whole of the UK.