A Government decision on a third runway at Heathrow has been delayed until the end of the year - to allow time for a "race and gender impact" study of the plans.

In a blow to backers of the airport's expansion, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly announced a new public consultation to gauge how the proposals would affect ethnic minorities, women, the disabled and the elderly.

The "Equalities Impact Assessment" has been forced on Ms Kelly by environmental protesters, whose lawyers discovered the Government had failed to carry out its statutory duties under equal rights laws.

Campaigners have accused ministers of skewing their consultation to help BAA in its bid to build a third runway, which is opposed by large numbers of residents in west London.

Anti-expansion group HACAN ClearSkies greeted Ms Kelly's decision as a "mini-victory" in its longer battle to oppose Heathrow's development, but stressed she had acted only under the threat of a legal challenge.

Airports minister Jim Fitzpatrick indicated earlier this year that an "in principle" decision on the plans would be made by this month. But in a written parliamentary statement today, Ms Kelly made clear many more months were needed to complete the consultation and she would now make a decision "before the end of the year".

The Transport Secretary confirmed that 70,000 individuals and businesses in London had given their views, but added: "We want to be sure, given the sociodemographic mix in the Heathrow area, that we fully understand how airport development might affect different groups in terms of race, disability, age or gender."

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: "The Government is having a massive runway wobble. Ministers are facing an inevitable legal challenge if they give the green light to Heathrow expansion because their public consultation was, quite frankly, fraudulent."

Lib-Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker said: "It looks like the Government has realised quite how unpopular its policy is and is now looking for a way out."

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