The IoD, Chamber and GIBA have issued a joint statement, as follows:
“The IoD, Chamber of Commerce and GIBA together call on the island’s Deputies to support Proposition 1(b) in the policy letter lodged by the Policy & Resources Committee (P&R) in the States meeting this week, authorising funding for a full cost-benefit analysis of the two runway extension options recommended in the PwC report on air and sea links.
Based on the recommendation from the PwC report, we believe a detailed cost-benefit analysis needs to be undertaken into the potential for a runway extension to both 1570m and 1700m. While we hope this work can be completed on a timely basis and well within the £700,00 budget identified in P&R’s policy letter, the scale of this budget commitment is made in relation to both the capital cost of the infrastructure and the socio-economic implications for Guernsey of the investment decision made.
By contrast, a decision to continue with inadequate infrastructure is likely to fail the island from both a social and economic perspective. It also risks compromising on safety and reliability as airline operators may be forced to stretch their operational limits to provide services to Guernsey.
While the business groups agree that the implications of the runway extension options for Aurigny’s strategy should be considered as part of the cost-benefit analysis, the protection of the airline should not result in an infrastructure policy that is contrary to the long term interests of the island as a whole.
In light of these considerations, as well as extensive consultation with the group’s combined memberships, we urge Deputies to support Proposition 1(b) of the policy letter.”
