UK bosses urge quick decision on London airport expansion

LONDON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Sixty business leaders urged Britain's political leaders on Tuesday to commit in their election manifestos to make a swift decision on the controversial issue of London airport expansion.

Lawmakers have for years agreed that Britain needs a new runway to remain economically competitive, but deciding where is a toxic political issue because of the cost and impact on the environment. A government-commissioned taskforce is due to make a recommendation this summer.

The 60 business leaders signed a letter asking politicians campaigning for Britain's May 7 general election to promise to act swiftly on the taskforce's advice.

"We are concerned that unless politicians act swiftly on airports expansion, the growing cost of deferring a strategy to deliver new runways, which is costing our economy billions in trade and investment, will only increase," the letter said.

Plans for expanding London's airports have been on and off the table since the 1970s. But with demand for air travel growing fast, and the largest airport Heathrow operating close to full capacity, the issue has come to a head.

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition that won the 2010 election scrapped the previous Labour government's plans to build a new runway at Heathrow, west of London.

The current Commission is considering two options to build at Heathrow and one to add a runway to Gatwick, south of the capital. It has been subject to a 12-week public consultation period which closed late on Tuesday.

Signatories to the public letter included bosses of Aberdeen Asset Management, Associated British Foods (LSE: ABF.L - news) , British Land (LSE: BLND.L - news) , InterContinental Hotel Group, Legal & General (LSE: LGEN.L - news) , WPP (LSE: WPP.L - news) and London stores Harrods and Selfridges. (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)