Croydon has reinforced its support for a second runway in the week Gatwick Airport says figures showing it recorded the busiest month in its 80-year history prove the need for a second runway.
The 4.6million passengers who travelled through the airport in July was up 6.9 per cent on the same month last year – while long haul was up a staggering 23 per cent.
Croydon is one of 11 London local authorities that have made a joint submission to new prime minister Theresa May urging her to approve Gatwick’s expansion plans.
It is one of six Labour authorities which have been joined by five Conservative councils urging the government to take note of a “broad and growing consensus”.
A government decision on airport expansion is still to be made more than a year after the Davies Commission was completed with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan supporting Gatwick’s case.
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Gatwick’s continued long-haul growth and strong cargo growth are the latest proof that competition in the London airports’ market is working.
“Our continued success provides proof of the benefits a two runway Gatwick would deliver for Britain. Expansion of Gatwick, London’s fastest growing long-haul gateway, would show London is open for business to the world.”
As well as Croydon, the other London authorities backing Gatwick expansion are Hammersmith & Fulham, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Richmond, Southwark, Merton and Wandsworth.