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Brown backs third runway
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent11.11.08
GORDON BROWN today came out in defence of a third runway at Heathrow but faced fresh warnings that pollution limits must not be breached.
The Prime Minister stressed that the number of people wanting to fly from London's airports was forecast to double within 25 years.
At his monthly press conference at No 10, he said: “There is the combination of more people wanting to travel internationally and the fact that in Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, there are either four or five runways there to deal with the traffic.”
But ahead of a Commons debate on Heathrow, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas today warned pollution laws must not be flouted to allow expansion.
Mr Dimas told the Standard: “It is critical that member states respect EU legislation which is designed to protect the environment and the health of our citizens.”
Mr Brown emphasised the Government's “determination” to look at the environmental impact of another runway. “Our commitment is to look at all the environmental issues that have arisen,” he said.
Mr Dimas's intervention is the latest in a series of blows to the project which includes:
* A European Commission belief that Britain will not meet new EU laws on nitrogen dioxide near Heathrow — even if it gets an extension to 2015 to comply — unless new anti-pollution measures are introduced.
* The Government's own green adviser, the Environment Agency, saying the Government has failed to make the case that the nitrogen dioxide limits will not be breached by a bigger Heathrow.
* Barristers advising anti-expansion campaigners that a decision permitting a third runway could be challenged by a judicial review on the grounds that the Department for Transport's environmental findings are flawed.
* Ministers admitting there are likely to be “some limited NO² exceedences” north of the M4 near Heathrow in 2015, which would need to be addressed by traffic management.
* Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, who is seen as the leading Cabinet rebel on Heathrow, warning against trying to fudge the pollution limits.
Mr Dimas spoke out as the Government launched a concerted effort to persuade people of the benefits of a third runway in a Commons debate this afternoon.
Many MPs believe the Government has already made up its mind to give the go-ahead to another runway which would increase capacity from 480,000 flights a year to more than 700,000.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers
said: “Today's generation will be appalled that the Government is so hell-bent on a third runway.”
But Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon insisted that he was not turning a deaf ear before making a final decision by the end of the year.
He must now convince his own Cabinet colleagues. Mr Benn, Commons Leader Harriet Harman and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband are said to have raised concerns over the Heathrow policy.
Many MPs believe that the environmental, economic and political climate has changed since Heathrow expansion was outlined in 2003.
The EU Air Quality Directive sets limits for air pollutants, including a level for NO² of 40 micrograms per cubic metre, to be met by 1 January 2010.
Complying with this pollution law can be postponed until 1 January 2015 at the latest if a request for derogation has been submitted and accepted by the European Commission.
Heathrow operator BAA insisted that cleaner, quieter aircraft and better public transport meant noise and air quality requirements could be achieved. “If they are not then the number of air traffic movements would have to be reduced until they are,” a spokesman added.
Reader views (19)
I live under the southern flightpath into Heathrow, in Hounslow. I hope I am not the only local person who has noticed a dramatic, and I mean DRAMATIC, drop in the number of aircraft landing and taking off from Heathrow. Just looking at the skies at night, and noting the intervals between aircraft landing and taking off in the morning rush (!!), I'd say flights could be down by maybe even as much as 50%. Basis of calculation is simply a doubled or trippled interval between disturbances. Mixed mode is not affecting these conclusions either as I can see the northern flightpath from where I live. As far as I can work out, and this is not scientific, the business model to extend further the capacity at Heathrow has been shot to pieces by the people who use the aircraft and may never recover, given the oil shortages which will come. Also, flown twice to Europe on business since New Year, both flights packed full, that says to me that airlines are cutting flights so finally perhaps the airlines are filling aircraft better - something they should have been doing years ago, to stay in business. I would urge the Government to check the REAL numbers before making a final decision. There is no expansion necessary, just better efficiency. The other point - if the decision is NOT to go ahead with a 3rd runway, that does NOT mean that we will accept mixed mode OR the scrapping of runway alteration.
- Mike Stephenson, Hounslow UK
When I used to book flights out of 'London' I had to select between any of five runways. The fact these are distributed across four airports is hardly relevant. And as a reader has explained below LHR3 wd in important ways function as a separate airport. How many Euro cities have five runways? They are all London capacity after all. Proper surface connections between THESE wd improve flexibility and highlight the idiocy of LH3.
- Emissionary, London W10
Brown is an unelected unwanted prime minister and he would do well to remember that rather than leaving a poisonous legacy behind him. He is also another Scot who is too happy to influence what happens in England without a reciprocal effect on his own country. Perhaps he would like an airport in his own constituency instead?
- The Londoner, London
My unborn child will be the beneficiary of Hoon and Browns madness. He or she will have asthma, not get respit from the noise as alternation is dumped in favour of a dodgy dossier on aviation future written nearly 6 years ago! With fuel looking like at $200 a barrel and energy security having to look at gas and nuclear and alternatives - what imbecile would say yes to an old carbon infrastructure project that will be a brown white elephant. I will never vote Labour ever ever again while this policy is supported by a man whose monumental arrogance and hateful barbaric disinterest in humans is best demonstrated by this policy - no more planes and no more expansion ever!
- Christian Ball, London, UK
Then Brown has just lost the next election (Good Job!)
- Vince London, West London
I live in the Docklands, I not only suffer from the misery from London City Airport, but also the flights from Heathrow which over fly the London City Airport. So I get double misery.
The people who want airports expansion, simply have no idea of the misery it causes to people lives.
My quality of life is ruined and in the summertime you can't open windows due to the noise. I can hear planes even though I have double glazing. It never used to be like this and my area used to be a tranquil place. But the government wants all airports to expand at any cost.
It get regularly disturbed by flight which overfly at 4.30am, so how productive is this disturbance for economy of London?
I want to make a exodus out of London (or the UK) for a better quality of life!
- Rk, London
Well it's definite. I worried that my objections to the runway were selfish, but it Gordon supports it then I must be right as he hasn't been on the right side of anything for at least a decade!
- Mark, London
When did Mike of Burnham purchase his house? If it is after 1946 he has no right to complain. Nobody forced him to move there. He knew that there was an airport there.
The modern planes are getting quieter and cleaner. No third runway will result in a big loss of jobs in South East England and loss of investment as firms gp to Paris 6 runways Amsterdam 5 runways and Frankfurt 4 runways.
- Simon Wells, BRENTWOOD ESSEX
I invite Brown to meet our local GP`s who inform me that our locality is one of the worst asthma pockets in the country. Nothing to do with the incessant air traffic from
Heathrow and Northolt which we suffer, of course not!
Expansion of Heathrow will further blight the health of our children and grandchildren, this is already a scandal and should be stopped.
- Mike, Burnham Bucks
So all those living under the flight path should protest in the best possible way at the next election. As should all those that have seen their company pensions destroyed, all motorists that don't want to pay by the mile, all savers, all those that realise ID cards will be a costly waste, all those that want knife carriers locked up, all those that don't want Euro creep and all those that don't want more invasion of privacy. It really is a simple choice.
- Clarky, London
Poor deluded man! Thinks he's a Statesman in charge of some great country. Of course we were once, and still could be again. Just need to get rid of Go''on Broon first! Now, about that airport in the Thames estuary...
- Christopher Paul, High Wycombe, Bucks
Is the government really prepared to let BAA forcibly remove thousands of residents, relocate hundreds of businesses, destroy successful communities and demolish several villages?! What gain can possible match that much unnecessary pain? And if they but tested properly, they would find proof that tiny school children learn and play where the air reeks of aircraft fuel.
- Jill, Richmond
I'm voting Tory!
- Micah, Margate
This is not a third runway it is more like a mini airport as there will be little connection with Heathrow as such so planes will need full technical and fire support and there must be a multitude of other examples which means this is a high cost low efficiency project. Hard to think of another example in real life as bonkers as this. Perhaps an extension to Waterloo Station based by the Tate Gallery but then Waterloo has been extended for the channel tunnel traffic quite logically with adjacent tracks. Oddly enough it seems Stansted was never designed originally for an extra runway as that proposal whilst not being in this league is also cack handed.
- Jack Thompson, london
Brown will respect the environmental limits as much as "flying to the moon". Everyone knew that the Brown mentality would be in favour of a third runway. Everything that this man touches is anti-environment, yet with a straight face he somehow seeks to avoid being seen as the massive hypocrite he is on the environment. Watch Labour try to ram it through and get in the bulldozers on the present housing to make it a fait accompli and tie the arms of the incoming Tory government.
- Phil Jones, London UK
The worry is that the Government, hell-bent on runway building, (main beneficiary BAA, Spanish owned) will massage the pollution figures-like they fixed the Iraq war dodgy dossier-so that they can go ahead and build the runways before anybody realizes we have been 'had'. In the article here a BAA spokesman is quoted as saying about noise and pollution level achievement... " If they are not ( noise and air quality requirements)... then the number of air traffic movements would have to be reduced until they are". In other words-build the runway even if it cannot be used!!
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK
Ignore the silly Europeans - Heathrow needs the runway, else build a new airport in Kent!
We're the business hub of Europe (well, normally!), so just build the thing & move on, as this sorry story has dragged on long enough.
- Scott B., London
There is a conflct of Interest here.As I drove round the M25 last week Just as I came to the Heathrow turn off giant signs warned me of the fact I was driving into a low emission Zone. Just as a huge aircraft came thundering over head.Can any one tell me the point of stopping a few vans when we allow these aircraft to fly over London.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
High Speed Rail is NOT a false choice.
HS2 to just past Manchester is to capure 80% of the SCOTTISH MARKET as well as the rest of Manchester!
Connecting Heathrow to HS1 out of St Pancras could be done via capacity on existing express lines to Willesden - for only £300 million.
Running direct trains to Paris,Amsterdam,Frankfurt, Geneva would switch 14% of Heathrow flights. Thats using various transfer rates (as proven elsewhere)for the various journey times.
HS2 to Preston (just past Manchester) is enough to get London-Edinburgh and Glasgow under 3hrs and capture another 7% of the Heathrow market
That releases 21% more capacity for more long haul flights - without the expense of runway 3 or Boris Island.
John Jefkins
Liberal Democrats
- John Jefkins, Croydon
