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<p>UK ports are successful private enterprises, with a long history of private sector
investment, that operate on a commercial basis delivering the capacity and capability
required to serve their markets. As such the Government does not routinely intervene
to increase capacity for either freight or passenger traffic. The Government is supportive
of ambitions for Port growth, and has set out its vision and ambitions for the future
of the British maritime sector in the <em>Maritime 2050: navigating the future</em>.</p><p>
</p><p>This Government has over the last 12 months, provided significant investment
worth £30 million to our national ports infrastructure, including the Ports Infrastructure
Resilience and Capacity fund which has been granted to ensure that UK ports are not
only prepared for growth, but they are ready and eager for it.</p><p> </p><p>The Airports
National Policy Statement was designated as government policy in June 2018 following
a vote in the House of Commons. It sets out that there is a need to increase airport
capacity in the South East of England by 2030 by constructing one new runway and that
this need is best met by the Northwest runway scheme at Heathrow Airport. It requires
that at least 740,000 air transport movements are delivered at Heathrow per annum.</p><p>The
Northwest runway scheme would enable Heathrow to nearly double its current freight
capacity, it would also lead to better domestic connectivity by securing at least
14 domestic routes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is also supportive of airports
making best use of their existing capacity, subject to the assessment of the merits
of individual applications, including consideration of their environmental impacts.
The Government set out its policy position for the South East of England in <em>Beyond
the Horizon: The future of UK aviation: Making best use of existing runways. </em></p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These policies make clear that the government considers that
potential airport growth applications should be considered under the appropriate planning
regime and should take careful account of all relevant considerations, particularly
economic and environmental impacts and proposed mitigations.</p><p> </p>
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