M4 needs to be put in tunnel…

M4 would need to be put in tunnel if Heathrow is to meet EU pollution standards, claims Government Report

A report just published by the Department for Transport has admitted that part of the M4 would need to be put in a tunnel if air pollution levels at Heathrow were to come even close to meeting the legal limits set by the European Union if a 3rd runway was to be built. It also found that any plans to end runway alternation at the airport are likely to result in illegal pollution levels (1).

The report is one of 27 documents issued by the Department last week to accompany the Aviation White Paper that was published on 16th December (2).

It found that extreme measures would be required to meet the EU legal limits if a third runway was built by 2015:
* the M4 would need to be put in a tunnel between junction 4A and junction 3;
* the M4 spur road would also need to go into a tunnel;
* the southern runway would be need to be extended 1 mile eastwards;
* the total number of planes at Heathrow would need to be limited to 550,000 each year, well below the 650,000 capacity.
Even with these measures in place, the report found that 27 homes would still be experiencing air pollution levels above the EU legal limit. Without these measures in place almost 5,000 homes could be affected in 2015.

The report also found that, if runway alternation was abolished on existing runways between 7am and 5pm by 2010, the additional planes could result in almost 10,000 dwellings with pollution levels over the legal limit (3).

John Stewart, Chair HACAN ClearSkies, said,

“The Government should stop chasing its impossible dream of a 3rd runway at Heathrow. Even on the widely optimistic assumption that planes will become 40% quieter over the next 20 years or so, pollution levels around the airport will still be illegal. Any responsible government would be dealing with existing pollution levels rather than coming up with madcap schemes like putting the M4 in a tunnel. In a sane world this report should kill off any idea of a 3rd runway”

Notes for Editors:

  1. The European Directive on Air Pollution sets legal limits that come into force in 2009. In the Aviation White Paper, the Government put a 3rd runway at Heathrow on the back burner until at least 2015 because it was not confident the EU limits on nitrogen dioxide could be met.

  2. The Report is called Air Quality Assessments. It is dated December 2003, but was just published by the Department for Transport last week. (the other 26 reports fill in the detail of a number of the issues outlined in the White Paper – most of the reports are not available on the DfT website and were ‘out of print’ within a week of being issued). Air Quality Assessments looked at the effect of different measures on air pollution levels at Heathrow over the next 20 years. It assessed the impact on pollution levels of vehicle traffic, cleaner aircraft engines, different take-off procedures and reduced emissions from ‘on-airport’ activities. It was carried out by the DfT during the Autumn of 2003 following the end of the official period of consultation. The DfT carried out the report because, in their responses to the consultation, both BAA and BA challenged the Government’s assumptions on air pollution levels around Heathrow.

  3. The White Paper said, “Our current assessment is that a new runway at Heathrow could not come into operation before some time in the period 2015-2020. It is important, therefore, to consider the scope for greater utilisation of the two existing runways. For example, mixed mode operation in peak hours might be introduced, while retaining runway alternation for the rest of the time.” Runway alternation means that planes landing over London land on one of Heathrow’s runways between 7am and 3pm, before switching to the other runway which they use from 3pm – 11.30pm. So, for example, if planes land on the northern runway between 7am and 3pm, they will take-off during those hours on the southern runway. At 3pm, they will switch round. Runway alternation only benefits those people in West London who live under the final flight paths in Heathrow, ie the area from about Putney/Barnes westwards. There is no runway alternation when the planes approach over Berkshire (on the days an east wind is blowing) because planes are not permitted by the Cranford Agreement to take off eastwards from the northern runway. There is no runway alternation at all between 6am and 7am, when both runways are used for landing aircraft

For further information contact John Stewart on 020 7737 6641 or 07957 385650.