Bristol Airport stands at the forefront of an extraordinary opportunity — not just for our region, but for the country. The future of flight and the British aviation industry are being written right here in the South West, and they’re powered by hydrogen.
Britain’s aerospace and aviation sectors are global success stories — employing over half a million people and contributing £40bn annually to our economy. Aviation is continuing to grow, with government backing for new runways at Heathrow and Gatwick sending a clear signal of our economic ambition.
But this growth should not come at the cost of our planet.
Growing our world-leading aviation sector will strengthen trade, boost tourism, and create tens of thousands of jobs across the UK. But, with these gains comes a clear public concern: how do we expand aviation while protecting our environment?
I believe the answer isn’t to choose between growth and sustainability, but to invest in technologies that deliver both.
My constituency of North Somerset is home to Bristol Airport, the eighth busiest airport in the UK, serving over 10 million passengers a year and with ambitious plans to expand to 15 million by 2036. While many of my constituents rely on the 5000 jobs that Bristol Airport provides and the billions it injects into the local economy – many are also concerned with what such a dramatic increase in passenger numbers might mean for the environment.
Fortunately, there is a solution to make flying more sustainable. I have met with British innovators, who are treading a promising path to net zero through hydrogen-powered aviation.
easyJet and Rolls-Royce are spearheading the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology to power a narrow-body aircraft. Airbus UK, with its Fuel System Centre of Competence based in Filton, is building the expertise and skills needed to introduce the world’s first hydrogen commercial aircraft.
And hydrogen flight is not just a distant dream.
ZeroAvia, is already trialling propulsion systems and aims to have a certified engine by the end of 2025, which startup operator Ecojet plans to use in its commercial operations.
GKN Aerospace has also made strides in developing hydrogen fuel cell and fuel systems technologies for commercial regional flights.
With many of these innovations taking place in the South West, including world-first trials at Bristol Airport, there is a huge opportunity for our region to lead the world into a future with zero-emission flying – creating good jobs and economic opportunities as we go.
If we are to succeed, it is critical that we bring the public with us on this journey. We must demonstrate that a cleaner, quieter, more sustainable future for aviation is not only possible, but desirable. We must show that we can keep flying affordable and accessible for consumers, as we work towards a net zero future.
I want to make sure we get there, and so do others. We are not alone in seeking to secure the investment and jobs of the future. The European Union, China, and Japan are all funnelling investment into hydrogen-powered aviation. If we don’t act now, we risk losing our leadership, our exports and high-skilled jobs to our international peers and competitors.
This is why I’m proud to lead today’s Backbench Business Debate calling for cross-party support for hydrogen-powered flight. Because if we get this right, Britain can be the first to deliver guilt-free, zero-carbon domestic flights. We can do this now, within the lifetime of this Parliament, setting us up to benefit for decades to come.
To seize this opportunity, we need coordinated action:
1. Public and private sector support for the first commercial hydrogen-powered routes between UK airports. Establishing these is a key step to making hydrogen flight an everyday reality, as this would be the biggest change to aviation since the introduction of the jet engine.
2. Delivering on a thriving hydrogen economy in the UK. The government, supported by leading British innovators, have set ambitious targets and put in place the policy frameworks to deliver on these. It is critical that we have the right foundations in green energy and infrastructure to enable the introduction of this new technology and spread its benefits across the country.
3. Close collaboration with industry leaders and aviation regulators to maintain momentum and scale hydrogen-powered aviation nationally. With our world-leading technology ecosystem and an established regulator, the UK is well placed to move at pace.
We already have the foundations for success: world-class engineers, a forward-thinking innovative industry and a growing hydrogen economy.
This opportunity is ours for the takin,g and with the right support from government, I am sure we are up to the task.
Let’s invest in our future. Let’s back hydrogen-powered aviation. And let’s prove, once again, that British innovation can shape this global industry.
The time to secure the future of British aviation is now
