Tuesday 1 December 2015

MPs: Heathrow shouldn’t get go-ahead until green goals are agreed

The government should not give the final expansion approval for Heathrow until the airport proves it will comply with environmental rules.

That’s according to MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee who have opened an inquiry.

They said the airport must demonstrate it can build the Heathrow expansion with legal air pollution limits and commit to covering the costs of surface transport improvements.

It should also commit to introducing a night flight ban and show an expanded Heathrow would be less noisy than a two-runway Heathrow, the MPs added.

Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Huw Irranca-Davies MP went on: “The purpose of this inquiry was not to re-open the debate over where extra airport capacity should be located or whether it should take place at all.

“It was to examine the implications of the Airports Commission’s recommendation for a third runway on climate-changing emissions, air quality and noise – and what government and Heathrow should do about them.”

Flights were delayed at Heathrow earlier this year as a group of climate protestors staged a protest against plans to build the third runway.