London’s global links play a central role in supporting the UK’s economic growth, and the Government has increasingly recognised this in recent strategies and announcements. The capital’s international ports provide the critical infrastructure that allows businesses to trade, export, and collaborate internationally, while supporting sectors – from financial and professional services to creative industries, technology, and tourism – that rely heavily on international reach. Our new report, Pathway to Delivery: Expanding London’s Global Connections, sets out the scale of planned private investment in five global gateways and highlights the choices now facing the Government if the UK is to maximise the economic potential they offer. With major investment decisions approaching and capacity constraints becoming more acute, the choices taken over the next few years will shape the UK’s connectivity and competitiveness for decades.
More than £53.5 billion of private investment is planned across London’s global ports: £49 billion at Heathrow Airport; £2.2 billion at London Gatwick Airport; £1.1 billion at London Stansted Airport; £265 million at London St. Pancras Highspeed; and £1 billion at London Gateway and Logistics Park. These investments also come at a pivotal moment. Passenger and freight volumes have rebounded strongly since the pandemic, and demand is expected to continue rising. At the same time, the Government’s growth mission and Modern Industrial Strategy depend heavily on resilient, high-capacity international links. Pathway to Delivery: Expanding London’s Global Connections shows that this combination of demand, government support, and private investment creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the UK’s connectivity and competitiveness. Without timely decisions and clear policy signals, there is a real risk that this investment will flow to international competitors rather than into the UK economy.
The global ports featured in the report have each set out ambitious plans that demonstrate both the scale of their economic potential and the complexity of the decisions required to unlock them. Heathrow’s investment programme, centred on a third runway, reflects the widely acknowledged need to tackle capacity constraints at the UK’s only hub airport. Gatwick’s Northern Runway project would provide significant new capacity and support thousands of jobs. London Stansted Airport’s terminal expansion responds to its strong growth in both tourist and business passengers. London St. Pancras Highspeed’s planned expansion of St. Pancras International station and the Temple Mills depot will open new routes and services to the continent. London Gateway and Logistics Park’s expansion strengthens the UK’s trading capacity at a time when global supply chains are evolving rapidly, and demand for logistics space is rising.
The benefits of these investments extend well beyond the infrastructure itself. Heathrow Airport alone supports more than 80,000 on-site jobs and thousands more across supply chains in every region of the country. London Gateway and Logistics Park provides a base for emerging sectors such as AI and data, food and beverage, and advanced manufacturing, while handling more than half of the UK’s deep-sea refrigerated container volume. International rail improvements will open new travel and trade opportunities, supporting tourism and business links across Europe.
However, the report is clear that investment on this scale cannot be delivered without action from the Government. The report identifies four priority areas where government action is critical. First, there is a need for more joined-up working across Whitehall and between national, regional, and local government to avoid delays and ensure consistent policy signals. Second, regulatory frameworks must be better aligned with the Government’s focus on growth, ensuring that regulators enable timely delivery while maintaining independence. Third, the planning system must continue to evolve so major projects can progress efficiently, with fewer delays and greater certainty. Fourth, the fiscal environment must remain internationally competitive, ensuring that tax and business rates regimes do not undermine investment.
Delivering these projects requires a new type of partnership between business and government – one that does not end once a project is approved, but continues throughout planning, construction, and delivery. These schemes are complex, long-term, and strategically important. They require consistent political commitment, timely decisions, and a shared focus on enabling growth.
The scale of private capital ready to be invested shows that confidence in the UK remains strong. With the right policy environment, these projects will help secure the UK’s global competitiveness, drive economic growth across the regions, and support the transition to a more resilient, internationally connected economy. The opportunity is significant – the Government and business must work closer together than ever before to remove barriers to delivery.