It is time for a decision to be made

Where to build a desperately-needed extra runway in the South East is of course a matter in which local residents will deservedly have a say. But more than that, it is an issue of national importance.

More and more people are coming to the conclusion that it is at Heathrow that expansion makes most sense. Take the South West. By the time the expansion of Heathrow is complete, a new rail link from Heathrow to the Great Western main line will allow trains to access the airport directly from Reading and beyond. Electrification of the line will bring faster trains, turning Heathrow into a local airport for the South West. The rail link will provide direct services, too, to South Wales, Oxford. The Midlands will be accessible by changing trains at Old Oak Common.