The letter was presented by:
- Jeremy Taylor, CEO, Gatwick Diamond Business
- Dean Orgill, Chairman, Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership
- Paul Roe, President, Crawley and Gatwick Chamber of Commerce
- Trevor Morgan, Croydon Business Improvement District
- Brett North, Crawley businessman
- Yvonne Prior, Horley Resident
The 36 Groups have a combined membership in excess of 15,000 businesses who, it is estimated, employ over 100,000 people.
These groups, the businesses and their employees live and work in villages, towns and cities from South London to the South Coast and so they understand the impact of a second runway alongside the economic and societal benefits.
Jeremy Taylor of Gatwick Diamond Business, who co-ordinated the support for the letter said "This is the clearest indication the PM needs that the next runway for the country should be built at Gatwick. It is the cheapest and most deliverable option that causes the lowest impact of the schemes under consideration.
"Those who oppose have made a lot of noise for a very small number of people; the quiet majority now feel it is their turn to be heard."
Jonathan Sharrock, Chief Executive of Coast to Capital LEP said: "We strongly support an early decision by Ministers on the provision of a new runway in the South East of England. Our preference is for a second runway at Gatwick, which will create tens of thousands of new jobs and contribute £1.7Bn per year to the local economy."