International travel and aviation is our lifeblood, and Heathrow Airport although outside Runnymede and Weybridge is one of our biggest local employers (both directly and indirectly). So I recently visited it to discuss issues that affect constituents in Runnymede and Weybridge, such as employment in and around the airport, noise and pollution, the challenges facing the airport as they recover from the huge drop in passenger numbers, JetZero, and how passengers and workers from Runnymede and Weybridge travel and commute.
To support our environmental aims, as well as the industry and local businesses and jobs, it is more important than ever that we work to ensure sustainability, including efficiency in airport operations and transport. A number of issues have been raised with me regarding current inefficiencies caused by cargo handling regulations, which I will be raising with Ministers.
I am also very keen to see improved rail links to Heathrow, which would reduce traffic on our roads and support our local economy. Runnymede’s location close to Heathrow offers not only excellent links for leisure and business travel, but many constituents are employed at the airport or near-by in related businesses and commute daily or several times a week. A southern rail link to Heathrow would support commuters to the airport, reduce traffic and airpollution, and secure local jobs and I am lobbying the Government for this. I recently welcomed the opportunity to discuss one of the options being put forward for it and raised the importance of the link to the Rail Minister, and look forward to further progress being made towards delivering a southern rail link that will benefit Runnymede and Weybridge and beyond.
In the medium to long-term the biggest challenge for aviation is net-zero. I am a strong advocate of reaching net zero and doing so in a way that doesn’t just protect our environment, but also improves our national and local economy. Key to sustainability is sustainable aviation fuel [you can read more about this here] and I recently attended the Heathrow sustainability launch in Parliament to discuss how I and the Government can support the transition to sustainability in international travel.
