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Heathrow battle begins today
15.01.09
THE REAL battle for the future of Heathrow starts today, as the Transport Secretary, Geoff Hoon, announces his approval for a third runway in the Commons — as this paper predicted last Friday.
This is not the end of the argument but the beginning of a real fight against the decision driven by environmentalists and local activists, backed by the Tories and Lib-Dems and fronted by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
The tension surrounding the decision can be seen from the fact that the Prime Minister did not submit this decision to a parliamentary vote, even though he had promised he would. Heathrow area Labour MP John McDonnell was ejected from the Commons chamber today after angry heckling of Mr Hoon.
Mr Hoon declared that increased capacity is necessary for Britain to maintain its international business competitiveness.
Indeed, BAA puts the value of the new runway to the economy at £7 billion a year. Heathrow is already running at near-maximum capacity and faces competition from other European airports. A new runway would generate 50,000 jobs in construction and guarantee more long-term.
Environmentalists argue that the move is impossible to square with the Government's commitment to reduce carbon emissions. The decision also runs counter to BAA's promise after T5 was approved that there would be no further enlargement.
Mr Hoon has, however, banned any immediate increase in air traffic and insists that any aircraft using the new travel slots will have to be quieter, less polluting modern models. There would, too, be a high-speed rail link with St Pancras.
These arguments are not supported by the Conservatives. The Tories say that if they win the election, the runway will not go ahead. The case against expansion is compelling. Fewer than a third of international passengers at Heathrow are business travellers. Indeed, nearly a third of passengers transfer to other flights.
The sheer intensity with which the environmental battle will be fought can be seen in the purchase by environmentalists of a plot of land in the threatened village of Sipson, to impede any compulsory purchase. The appeals process will be hard fought. Mr Brown may win friends in business with his announcement; he hasn't won over London.
Heads wanted
TODAY's secondary schools performance tables show that the educational prospects for more than 40,000 pupils, most in deprived parts of London, are very bleak indeed. No fewer than 43 state comprehensives face closure because they have missed a key, basic, Government target: that at least 30 per cent of pupils should pass a minimum of five GCSEs, including English and maths, at grades A-C.
Worryingly for the Government, 10 of the failing schools are City Academies, in which hundreds of millions of pounds have been invested. Schools Secretary Ed Balls claims in this paper today that London schools are doing better than ever before, but he has also betrayed his frustration with the slowness of improvement, lashing out at the “excuses culture” and warning academies that they could be shut down if they fail to improve.
The picture is not all bleak. The key to turning round failing schools is inspirational leadership, as our study of the transformation of Hammersmith School under the headship of Sir William Atkinson shows. But there are, alas, still too few such heads.
And celebrating...
DICKENS. The return of the glorious musical Oliver!, directed by Rupert Goold, to the West End is a reminder of the genius of Charles Dickens, who was, above all, a celebrant of the exuberant and remarkable diversity of London life, good and bad. There has been a number of previous productions of Lionel Bart's Oliver!, including Sam Mendes's sparkling production in 1994. It is the measure of Dickens's great work that it bears constant revisiting.
Reader views (2)
It is now time for the people of this our country to stand up and be counted.
How dare this Goverment dictate what will be, shame on you Brown and your corrupt goverment,this is a free country.
- M J Bantges, Lincoln
It's Greed not Need
Heathrow has got its 3rd runway. If it’s built (many people don’t think it will get that far) see how many more people look up and say I wasn't expecting that. That's ridiculous, who let that airport do that, not me. I can't sleep there are so many planes, why is the air around where I live tasting funny. Why is my child not doing better at school? They said it would get better, I wasn't expecting this when they wanted that third runway, can you take it away please it’s affecting our lives in such a bad way.
The answer will be NO Ha-Ha you let us build it now live with it. Our shareholders are happy and we've got our bonuses. The promises we made can’t be done, but it doesn’t matter now as we got what we want and there’s nothing you can do.
Oh by the way we want more, can we spin you more lines so you’ll make us richer please. You fell for it before we’re hoping you’ll do it again.
This is what will be said by those who say nothing.
DO SOMETHING NOW "PLEASE"
- Bg, London
