Speaking last week at the annual dinner of trade body Airlines UK, Grayling said the government was currently considering responses to additional consultations on noise and air quality that concluded shortly before Christmas.
This was followed last week by the start of another 10-week consultation on three options for the proposed northwest runway.
Both followed the Davies Commission report that took two and a half years to decide on Heathrow as the preferred option for expanding airport capacity in the South East.
Grayling said however that consultation was coming to an end and that MPs would soon vote on firm proposals. “Plans remain on track for a vote in Parliament in the first half of this year,” he said.
He added that analysis of the evidence so far had led him to believe the Davies Commission had made the right decision. “Specifically, the new evidence reinforced the case for expansion at Heathrow supported by a world-class package of measures to limit the effects on local communities.”
The government’s slim majority may mean a go-ahead by MPs is thrown into question, but Grayling stressed the urgency of a decision. He said Brexit meant the need for new runway capacity was “even greater than we thought”.
He acknowledged that airlines were unhappy with the prospect of paying for expansion. “I’ve been clear that landing charges should be kept as close as possible to current levels - something I know is close to many of your hearts too. Heathrow charges have increased substantially over the past decade, so that needs to be factored in to future plans.”
Grayling continued: “I expect airlines and Heathrow to reach a deal on landing charges that will keep the airport competitive, so extra costs are not ultimately passed on to the customer.”
But he warned the audience: “However, I also want to stress that now is not the time to undermine the scheme in any way. Until the Parliamentary process is complete and the vote in Parliament has been delivered, we need the whole aviation industry to support the new runway."
