DORSET would benefit from an expansion to Heathrow Airport, business leaders have been told.

Nick Clark, chief information officer at Heathrow, told Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry that 40 new routes to international markets would be added to Heathrow, providing links to Asia and America for trade.

The airport has set up a national connectivity task force to come up with proposals to link the regions to Heathrow. Regional airports, chambers of commerce, local enterprise partnerships, business representatives and airlines will all be part of the task force aiming to get the most out of an extended Heathrow.

Mr Clark said: “Connections to international markets through Heathrow are critical to British businesses. As the UK’s only hub airport, we want to add up to 40 new long-haul, direct routes and improve our connectivity to UK regions, including Dorset.”

Ian Girling, chief executive for Dorset Chamber of Commerce and industry, agreed an extended Heathrow had the potential to increase business for Dorset and all over the country.

He said “The UK clearly needs a hub airport to compete at a global level with other hub airports in Europe and the Middle East. If we don’t do this now, then the UK will continue to fall behind and lose out to other developing hub airports and world-leading economies.

“An expanded Heathrow with improved connectivity to international growth and developing markets around the world would be a great boost for businesses in Dorset.”

Heathrow submitted its refined plans for a third runway in May, in the hope of increasing the volume of flights in and out of the airport. Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport.

Plans for a new airport in the Thames Estuary are still being debated, with the argument that it could be a better solution.