Outspoken London mayor Boris Johnson warned today that Teesside is unlikely to have a Heathrow flight restored if a third runway is built.
The Mayor is alerting business and political leaders in Teesside that they face the prospect of not regaining its aviation route to the UK’s only hub airport - even if a third runway at Heathrow is given the go-ahead.
The number of British cities served by Heathrow has plummeted by more than 60% from 18 routes in 1990 to just seven today.
Teesside has not had a London connection since 2009 when flights from Durham Tees Valley Airport to Heathrow were scrapped.
Today Mr Johnson has written to eleven regions and more than 480 key UK businesses to highlight the fact the Airports Commission itself has forecast that an expanded Heathrow would accommodate even fewer domestic routes.
This, claims the London Mayor, would reduce the number of British airports connected to a UK hub from seven to four - and make it increasingly unlikely DTVA will regain its connection to an expanded Heathrow.
Mr Johnson, a strident and long-standing opponent of a third runway at Heathrow, said: “Having connections with the UK hub airport is hugely important for Yorkshire.
“Those connections allow businesses to trade and secure investment across the globe.
“But the truth is that Heathrow has been failing our regions well over a quarter of a century and quite staggeringly the Airports Commission’s own analysis shows that the construction of a third runway only worsens the situation.”
The London mayor believes the only long-term solution that would enable British businesses to compete on a level playing field with European competitors is to build a four-runway hub airport, to the east of London.
Keith Miller, managing director of Middlesbrough-based Ecco Finishing Supplies, said: “International flight connections are essential for doing business. Going abroad and meeting you’re customer face-to-face is critical.
“If we can’t expand Heathrow enough because of air pollution and noise pollution over London – a new four runway airport is a great idea.
“We live in a global business world nowadays and if we don’t build an airport with enough capacity people will continue to make long-haul flights from Amsterdam or Paris.”
Last week DTVA’s owner said more must be done to boost private sector “confidence and ability” if the Northern Powerhouse is to succeed.
John Whittaker, chairman of The Peel Group, has asked for “fresh dialogue” between business, Government and other Northern-based partners in a letter to the PM and the Chancellor.
Its masterplan, published last year, aims to reposition DTVA to focus on business routes, expanding general aviation activity and broadening the base of aviation-related activity on the site.
Last month Peel announced controversial plans to quit the Teesside Pension Fund.