Roskill's Successful Recommendation

Discussion of the Roskill Commission's work concentrated on its choice of site, which was rejected by the Government. The Commission, however, made a second recommendation on the timing of the need for a new airport. The issues involved in this decision are just as interesting as those raised by the site comparison. Although the Government accepted the Commission's recommendation on timing, some commentators have criticized it. This paper summarizes the Commission's approach and considers possible objections.