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Miliband prepared to break pollution laws over Heathrow
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent25.11.08
CLIMATE Change Secretary Ed Miliband today refused to rule out turning a blind eye to air quality laws to give the go-ahead for a third runway at Heathrow.
Experts believe that nitrogen dioxide levels will be exceeded for years to come around Heathrow if it is allowed to grow. They would breach new EU limits due to come into force by 2015 at the latest.
But Mr Miliband, when asked to give a guarantee that the Government would not ignore minor breaches of air quality laws to allow another runway, stopped short of giving such a pledge.
Speaking at an Environment Agency conference in central London, he simply stressed the importance of putting a price on carbon emissions from aviation, which is to be included in the European carbon emissions trading scheme, and added: "We will take the issues of air quality absolutely seriously when we make our decision about a third runway."
But EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas has warned that the Government must respect new EU limits on pollution.
Backbench Labour MPs who are opposed to the expansion plans said the new EU laws were "non-negotiable". John Grogan MP, who has led a Commons rebellion with Cabinet support over a third runway, said: "If ministers are not careful, they will find themselves in court." Yesterday former Cabinet minister Lord Smith, now chairman of the Environment Agency, warned that a third runway at Heathrow would make it "impossible" for the Government to meet legally binding targets on air pollution.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said of Mr Miliband's remarks: "This is further evidence that the Government is determined to press ahead with a third runway at Heathrow regardless of the consequences for the environment, health and quality of life."
Aviation chiefs have argued that a third runway is needed to cope with the spiralling demand for air travel. It would increase Heathrow's capacity from 480,000 flights a year to more than 700,000.
The EU Air Quality Directive sets limits for air pollutants, including a level for NO2 of 40 micrograms/m³ which is to be achieved by 1 January 2010. Britain can seek an extension to meet this pollution law but only until 1January 2015.
Reader views (25)
Baa have a lot to answer for are they going to make up the value of our de-valued homes if this does not go ahead __ and if it does are they going to put in proper compensation to enable us to purchase another village home. This government are robbing the poor to give to the rich runway or no runway in this present state what is happening to us is legal theft and bully tactics
- Maxine Payne, sipson village, west drayton ( The proposed village to be demolished at heathrow by BAA )
Miliband's comments show just how far behind the curve the government is behind in their thinking about what's best for the future. Every solution they embrace is ridiculousness wed to the 20th century notions of bigger is better - it's almost pornographic - Nuclear, Coal, Road expansion, Airport expansion. The one thing these projects all have in common is that they are immensely wasteful. They just create more waste - rather than solve the problems that need to be solved.
What we need is new progressive leadership bringing in fresh projects that are sustainable economically as well as environmentally and socially, as well as elegant and creative. It's all possible, but we have to let go of our old thinking.
- Blake Ludwig, London
Pam from Twickenham,
Why did you move to Twickenham in the first place when it's clear that it is under Heathrow's final approach flightpath? Many people complain about aircraft noise and pollution but Heathrow has been around much longer than many of us. If you move to a place near an airport, pollution and noise is what you have to expect! If you live near Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, City or Luton, then expect those airports will expand in the future and pollution/noise to get worse. If you don't like it then move somewhere else where there isn't an airport around! That's where I have a problem with Boris who insists on building a new airport in the Thames estuary. The victims are those who have settled there for peace and quiet but will now face the prospect of constant noise and pollution.
- Ed, Hounslow, London
Typical Nulabour farce. Thousands of stinking planes with 6ft wide exhausts, hundreds of diesel belching buses yet go into the Central Bus Station at Heathrow and all you see are dozens of enforcement posters telling you not to smoke in the open aired freezing cold polluted bus shelters. Welcome to England.
- Roger, Staines.
Who shall I send the bill to for my constant coughs and chest infections, which I never had before moving here seven years ago, the doctor wonders why I am surprised, well he says, you live beneath flight paths, not much I can do,
- Pam, Twickenham
Gvt must never let the law get in the way.
Do as they say, not as they do.
Time to build a new airport, of the future, out where there is room for a future.
- Trunk, US
Why is silly milli still there you wonder?!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Get the runway built now.
- Gavin Morgan, Staines
Well we know now don't we? This Government is simply NOT to be trusted. Any elected Government which thinks it is above the law is deluded.
Some democracy! We voted you in and we'll vote you out. You'll have 2 Million Londoners to answer to Miliband - and the judicial process.
- Christine M Shilling, harmondsworth
Miliband's turning a blind eye to exceeding the pollution criteria to allow a 3rd runway is unsurprising. Those of us who live near Heathrow see a Government which has contempt for the living, contempt for the dead (Cherry Lane Cemetery at risk) contempt for due process and democracy (a dodgy dossier - fictitious planes - massaged data) and now contempt for the EU - contempt for the planet - a morally bankrupt outfit. They bleat about climate change but their actions speak louder than their words.
This Government have wasted taxpayers money on a sham consultation - a fixed consultation - a corrupt consultation - in 2003 BEFORE our responses were due in the Sunday Business was reporting that the 3rd runway was a done deal.
We voted them in. We can and will vote them out.
- Christine Shilling, Harmondsworth
Labour ban a few puffs of cigarette smoke in public places, but allows all the poisons from planes. That proves that they are not really worried about our health and safety.
- Chas, Little Britain
Perhaps when the NHS start suing the Government because of the deterioration in health and increase in costs around this, someone will act responsibly for the good of all and not profit.
- Living Under The Flight Path, London
There is no need for a third Heathrow runway:
1) I was sitting at Heathrow the other day and could see 36 flights on the departure board that were not leaving the British mainland. These should be replaced by trains: investment in our rail network would benefit more people than just Heathrow's passengers.
2) BA and other airlines currently deliberately fly small planes from Heathrow to sell flights on the basis of convenient timings; e.g. there are 11 BA flights going to Frankfurt tomorrow. If there was a minimum capacity regulation on planes leaving Heathrow, BA would have to fly 3 large planes instead of 11 small ones.
3) There's plenty of spare capacity at RAF Northolt, just down the road from Heathrow.
There isn't a lack of capacity at Heathrow at all, it's just a myth that flits BAA's business plan.
- Liz, London
Can we smoke in the terminal, then?
- Belinda, Edinburgh
Pollution from cars, planes etc yet the only thing the Government can do is believe the rubbish that resulted in the Smoking Ban. Give pubs the CHOICE to decide.
- Whistleblower, Edinburgh,UK
It's alright for Ed Miliband to raise pollution levels across southern England for years to come, to force innocent people to breath in excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants, but if anyone dares to light a cigarette, they are treated as a criminal. The second hand smoke from a cigarette can kill our children, they falsely claim, but all these pollutants from planes that will be cramming millions of people's lungs will do nothing to harm us?
What a hypocritical, and ignorant bunch this Labour lot are.
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK
He has the same amount of bottle as his brother! Hypocrite!
- Londonken, London
Ah democracy in action. Ignore what the people and experts say, just plough on with your hair-brain ideas ala Mao!
- Mark, London
Yep, that's about right, sod all the people living on the flightpaths or around the airport, they are of no importance whatsoever. Tough luck if the exhaust fumes created not only by the aircraft but also by the vehicles which serve the airport have any effect on the populace. Noise pollution too is of no consequence.
- Dennis, Taplow. U.K.
As this is the same lot who allowed round the clock drinking - and then are amazed at more drunkeness - who allowed unfettered gambling then are amazed at the gambling debts, why not ruin the air quality and pretend you are amazed when it happens. The sooner we get rid of nu-labour the better.
- Norcot, Oajkham UK
Turning a blind eye to the law is how the Nazis got started. What laws will they turn a blind eye to next ?
- Peter Haldane, London
so there we have it death to the old and vunerable and asthma for our children the nulabour sham that is its environmental policy. I will never vote labour again as my children choke and my life is made intollerable by aviation noise and ppllution levels - legal action anyone?
- Christian Ball, London, UK
A further example of the disregard by this government for thousands of people living around Heathrow whose lives and homes are threatened by the insane possibility of airport expansion.
We were told "no further expansion to Heathrow after Terminal 4" ; what rubbish , no-one can believe or trust any utterance from this appalling government
- Mike, london
Sadly, money will always come before quality of life. Being used to country living, I was driven crazy by being awoken at 4am after spending a few months living in Fulham. And then, one day I drove to Terminal 5 and felt very sorry for the people working or living nearby - the noise and pollution was horrible! The ethics of this government who one day claim to be taking the lead (re Kyoto etc) in matters environmental, and then push ahead with visionless schemes like runway 3. Boris's idea of a new airport shows vision and will employ thousands too. I thought 'Labor' stood for such values? It's total role reversal. If the gov do press ahead with runway 3, the best thing we can do is refuse to fly from Heathrow! Vote with your wallets and consider the locals under or near it.
- Vision Aforethought, Oxford & London
Excellent move Miliband! Let's just be decisive and get the third runway in place!
I don't see airports in Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt arguing about pollution targets when they build extra runways!
- Ed, Hounslow, London
