Morning:
13°c
Most London MPs oppose third runway plan
Jason Beattie, Chief Political Correspondent21.11.07
London MPs are overwhelmingly opposed to the expansion of Heathrow, a survey by the Evening Standard reveals.
The MPs say a third runway would worsen noise and air pollution. They dispute Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's claim that London would suffer economically if there were a cap on the number of flights.
The Government is expected to launch tomorrow its long-awaited consultation into the building of a third runway and a sixth terminal.
BAA, the airport's owner, also wants to introduce mixed mode, allowing planes to take off and land on the same airstrip, for runways two and three. This would nearly double flights to 800,000 a year, with planes taking off and landing almost every 90 seconds.
Putney, Richmond, Camberwell and Streatham would all see a rise in the number of landings as this would end an arrangement whereby the airport switches runways at 3pm.
Southall, Chiswick, Shepherd's Bush and Holland Park,Leyton, Forest Gate, Mile End and Hackney will all be under flight paths for the third runway.
The Standard's poll of MPs with constituencies near the airport found all but one - Spelthorne's David Wilshire - opposed the plans.
John Randall, Conservative MP for Uxbridge, said the expansion would cause too much air and noise pollution and lead to 10,000 homes near the airport being destroyed. "This is the line in the sand - we have to say no more expansion wherever," he said.
Justine Greening, Tory MP for Putney-said parts of London would not be worth living in: "People will not want to bring their children up in a place where every 90 seconds a plane drowns out their conversation."
Susan Kramer, Lib-Dem MP for Richmond Park, said: "Runway three will put as much CO2 into the atmosphere as Kenya does each year."
Others opposed to the plans include: acting Lib-Dem leader Vincent Cable, the MP for Twickenham; Labour's John McDonnell, whose Hayes and Harlington seat includes Heathrow and Alan Keen whose Feltham and Heston seat borders it; Nick Hurd, the Tory MP for Ruislip Northwood, and Ed Davey, the Lib-Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton.
