David Cameron announced on Thursday that he was delaying the decision on whether to allow a third runway at Heathrow until summer 2016 because of environmental concerns.
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“We must develop the best possible package of measures to mitigate the impacts on local people”. We will undertake more work on environmental impacts, including air quality, noise and carbon.
The British government on Thursday said it had postponed a divisive decision on where to expand London’s airport capacity until the middle of next year. Supporters include the CBI, BCC, chambers of commerce across the country, Unite, the GMB, 37 British airports and airlines such as easyJet, which plans to operate from an expanded Heathrow.
David Cameron had promised a decision on the issue by Christmas after the detailed review by Sir Howard Davies concluded that a new runway at Heathrow was the best of three shortlisted possibilities.
The figures were released as Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin refused to rule out a further delay to the decision on where to put new airport capacity in the South East of England.
But Mr Goldsmith, who has campaigned against expansion at Heathrow, said: “I am absolutely delighted that, after much campaigning, the Government has heard the arguments, seen sense and will judge the options against an environmental test”. This requires excellent aviation connectivity right across the country, ensuring the United Kingdom has both vibrant point to point airports and world class hub capacity.
Cameron has had to weigh the competing claims of business groups and members of Parliament from outside the capital, who are pressing for extra capacity at Heathrow, and those of his party’s lawmakers from the west of London, who were elected on a platform of opposing the airport’s expansion.
Business groups said a decision was long overdue and questioned why the government had bothered with Sir Howard’s investigation, if it did not follow his recommendation.
Earlier this year an independent commission backed the building of a third runway at Heathrow subject to “legally binding” limits on noise levels but opponents say the restrictions would be insufficient to limit the impact on those living nearby and under the flightpath.
And MPs on the Environmental Audit committee gave the Tory leader a free pass to avoid humiliation when they said more tests around pollution were needed.
Asked a third time if the government will be in a position to decide next summer, he said: “I hope that we will be”.
Not ruling out expansion at Gatwick, he said the Government would continue to work on all the shortlisted locations.
“There is now a clear choice facing Britain: growth with Gatwick or inertia at Heathrow with an illegal scheme that has failed time and time again”, says Wingate.
As expected, the announcement of a six-month delay sparked controversy.
“The government should face up to the reality that a third runway is unlikely ever to see the light of day”.
He said it represented “a massive opportunity… to remove the threat of Heathrow expansion once and for all”.
“We urgently need to increase our runway capacity to spur trade growth, investment and job creation”.
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Let Britain Fly director Gavin Hayes said: “Having already spent three years and millions of pounds of taxpayer money looking at the issue in a Commission, including extensive analysis on the economic and environmental impact, this further delay is unacceptable”.
