Liz Maher, president of the South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce, said:
“The Government has made the right decision for the whole of the United Kingdom. For Wales, Heathrow’s expansion could mean up to 8,400 new jobs and up to £6.2bn in economic benefit. With both electrification and a new dedicated spur of the Great Western Line, south Wales will be even more accessible to the UK’s hub airport. For our members, this means access to new markets across the globe in the tourism and export industry alike. A major infrastructure project such as this is also welcome news for the steel industry here in south Wales and shows to the world that the UK remains open for business.
“Building one new runway, however, isn’t going to be enough to give the UK the aviation capacity it requires to trade with the world successfully. Work at Cardiff Airport, to increase the number of flights and improve connectivity, needs to continue so that Wales can make the most from the expected growth in aviation.”