Influential committee of MPs ‘put Government in a straightjacket’ over Heathrow Third Runway

Press Release

1/12/15 for immediate use

Influential committee of MPs ‘put Government in a straightjacket’ over Heathrow Third Runway

A leading committee of MPs has ‘put the Government in a straightjacket’ over a third runway at Heathrow.  The influential Environmental Audit Committee released a report today (1) which said that a third runway should not go ahead at Heathrow until strict environmental conditions are met.  These included proof can be that noise and air pollution will be less than they are now; that the Government has clear policies in place to show it could meet the climate change recommendations in Airports Commission; and that Heathrow Airport commits to paying for the associated road and rail infrastructure and agrees to a ban on night flights.

HACAN chair John Stewart said, “The Committee has put the Government in a straightjacket over a third runway.  This report makes it that much harder to build a third runway at Heathrow.”

The Government is expected to make an announcement before Christmas about whether it favours a third runway at Heathrow or a second runway at Gatwick.

ENDS

 Notes for Editors

 (1).   http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/news-parliament-2015/airports-commission-report-15-16/