UK’s Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, published the consultation on increasing capacity at Heathrow Airport and urged local people and interested bodies to respond with their views. The consultation, Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport, considers whether a third runway could be built at the airport, served by a sixth terminal with access to the road and rail network…
UK’s Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, published the consultation on increasing capacity at Heathrow Airport and urged local people and interested bodies to respond with their views. The consultation, Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport, considers whether a third runway could be built at the airport, served by a sixth terminal with access to the road and rail network. This would enable the airport to handle around 700,000 flights a year.
In 2003, the Government identified the need for more runway capacity in the South East and supported further development at Heathrow. However this was conditional on strict local noise and air quality limits and on an improvement in public transport access to the airport.
This document presents the conclusions from three years of detailed analysis on how the local environmental conditions could be met. It invites views on whether people agree or disagree with this analysis and also on possible changes to the airport’s operation. These include options to introduce "mixed-mode" as an interim measure on the existing runways, allowing them to handle both take-offs and landings.
Ms Kelly said: "Heathrow supports 170,000 jobs, billions of pounds of British exports and is our main gateway to the global economy. But for too long it has operated at nearly full capacity, with relatively minor problems causing severe delays to passengers."
"If nothing changes, Heathrow’s status as a world-class airport will be gradually eroded – jobs will be lost and the economy will suffer. London and the UK’s nations and regions alike are reliant on the good international connections that the Heathrow hub provides."
"Equally, I am clear that any decision on expansion has to be compatible with meeting tough local environmental tests on noise and air quality," added Ruth Kelly.
"I fully understand this is an issue which raises strong feelings on all sides which is why we are making every effort to encourage people to make their views known."
The consultation document also asks for responses to options on changing the westerly preference and the Cranford agreement at the airport which govern the direction from which aircraft leave and arrive at the airport.
Also published yesterday (22 November 2007) is the report UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts. This explains the Department’s passenger demand and CO2 forecasting methodologies and provides the latest CO2 forecasts.
The closing date for responses to the consultation is 27th February 2008. To help maximise public involvement the Department for Transport is staging a series of public exhibitions in communities around Heathrow during the consultation period. Final policy decisions will be taken in 2008.
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