Government must insist that Heathrow funds surface transport improvements to accommodate an expanded airport if it decides that a new runway should be built to the west of London, MPs said yesterday.

 

The House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) also called on Government to set out its assessment of what would be required in terms of surface infrastructure improvements to Heathrow and milestones for completion. MPs on the Committee concluded that this assessment should be part of a wider transport strategy for west London.

 

Concern was expressed by the Committee that Heathrow had previously said there will be no more cars on the road as a result of expansion, but that Transport for London estimated that a larger airport would lead to an additional 40,000 road journeys.

 

The Committee also raised major concerns over reduced air quality and increased noise associated with an expanded Heathrow. “Communities living near to the roads around Heathrow already put up with noise and extra traffic. It would be quite unacceptable to subject them to a potentially significant deterioration in air quality as well,” said Committee chair Huw Irranca Davies.

 

“To defer dealing with the environmental impact of a third runway would be irresponsible and could lead to legal challenges as a result of the potential damage to public health. If Government decides to accept the (Airports) Commission’s recommendation for a third runway in principle, we will seek assurances from the Secretary of State that environmental conditions will be met before it is given final approval.”

 

Heathrow airport responded by saying: “The EAC is absolutely right that the environmental impact of a third runway must be considered alongside the economic benefits expansion will bring, which is why our new plan for expansion has ensured that Heathrow will be quieter, public transport to the airport will be transformed and air quality will continue to be improved and limits will be met.

 

"There is no obstacle to the Government announcing its support for the independent expert Commission's unambiguous and unanimous recommendation to expand Heathrow.”

 

But Gatwick airport chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “This is a highly significant intervention by the Environmental Audit Committee just days before the Government is expected to make its decision on airport expansion. It is increasingly clear only expansion at Gatwick is legal and can actually happen.”

 

Last Thursday in Parliament MPs debating airport growth heard that expansion of Birmingham airport and electrification of an existing rail line between the West Midlands city and London should be taken forward instead of building a third runway at Heathrow.

 

Ian Austin, the MP for Dudley, told the House of Commons that Birmingham “could in effect become Heathrow’s third runway” because its central location is “within a two hour drive for 35M people in this country”. In the same debate Kelvin Hopkins, the MP for Luton North, suggested electrifying and upgrading the Birmingham Snow Hill to London line and linking it directly to Crossrail to improve connections between the two airports.

 

“An electrified one hour shuttle between Birmingham and Heathrow could effectively make both airports satellites and hubs for each other,” Mr Hopkins said, adding that this project would make HS2 redundant.

 

Many Members of the House urged the Government to get on with a decision over expansion of aviation capacity, including the Aldershot MP Sir Gerald Howarth. He said that Britain has for too long been subjected to a “lack of vision and to paralysis” over making major infrastructure decisions. “We cannot go on like this. The (Airports) Commission has given us a comprehensive analysis and an answer (expanding Heathow). We need to get on with it now”.

 

Sir Simon Burnes, MP for Chelmsford, said: “The time has come to stop talking and come up with a viable solution.” Steve Double, the MP for St Austell and Newquay added: “We need to make a decision about this: we cannot procrastinate any longer. I trust that the Government will come forward with a very clear decision in the next few weeks, as they have promised.”

 

(Photo: Heathrow Airport Limited)