Geoff Hoon’s ministerial statement on Heathrow on 15th January
Aviation
principle – for a third runway at Heathrow airport: support that was conditional
on any development meeting strict local environmental conditions.
Economic benefits
to create up to 8,000 new on-site jobs by 2030 and will provide further employment
benefits to the surrounding area. Its construction alone would provide up to 60,000
jobs.
the only hub airport – it is our most important international gateway.
more frequent services to key international destinations such as Mumbai and Beijing.
It connects us to the growth markets of the future – essential for every great
trading nation. In doing so, it benefits every region of the United Kingdom.
to delays and constraints on future economic growth. Heathrow is already losing
ground to international hub airports in other competitor countries. This makes
the UK a progressively less attractive place for mobile international businesses.
Delays damage the efficiency of the airport but they also cause unnecessary carbon
dioxide emissions as up to four stacks of aircraft circle London waiting to land.
at Heathrow is critical to this country’s long term economic prosperity.
and on whether the environmental conditions could be met. We received nearly 70,000
replies. I have now considered the responses and reached my conclusions.
Mixed Mode
otherwise known as Mixed Mode. This would improve resilience, reduce delays and
has the potential to provide early additional capacity.
greatly value the present alternation of runway operations at around 3pm, which
gives them respite from overhead aircraft noise for at least 8 hours each day.
have decided not to proceed with mixed mode.
by aircraft taking off and landing when the wind is blowing from the east. I
will therefore end the Cranford agreement, which generally prohibits easterly
take-offs on the northern runway. This will benefit the residents of Windsor
and others to the west of the airport, and Hatton and North Feltham to the east.
consultation.
Third Runway
in the light of the conditions, on noise, air quality and surface access set out
in the 2003 White Paper.
Noise
of noise at or above 57 decibels. By 2002, that number had reduced to 258,000
people as the result of significant improvements in aircraft technology.
average noise exceeded 57 decibels. In the light of all the evidence, including
from the consultation, I have decided that this condition can be met, even with
a third runway.
57 decibel contour by 2020 is expected to fall by a further 15,000 from 2002,
even with more aircraft movements in 2020. And the number of people affected by
higher levels of noise is expected to fall even more significantly: for example,
a 68% reduction – more than 20,000 fewer people – affected by noise averaging
66 decibels and above.
Air Quality
relevant pollutant at Heathrow is Nitrogen Dioxide, for which the EU has set a
2010 target of an annual average of no more than 40 microgrammes per cubic metre.
As with most other major European economies, the United Kingdom does not yet fully
comply with this limit: largely as a result of emissions from motor vehicles.
the limit is currently exceeded in a number of places in the United Kingdom, in
most cases by more than near Heathrow.
United Kingdom, not simply around Heathrow airport. The European Commission has
agreed that Member States could be allowed an extension to 2015, if member states
can show that they have plans in place to meet the targets. This presents a significant
challenge but I am committed to supporting the actions, mainly in relation to
motor vehicle emissions, necessary to achieve it.
air quality limits by 2015. Our forecasts predict that, in any event, we will
be meeting the limits by 2020 even with airport expansion.
Air quality and noise compliance
modelling. To reinforce our commitments on noise and air quality, I have decided
however that additional flights could only be allowed when the independent Civil
Aviation Authority is satisfied:
First that the noise and air quality conditions have already been met. The air quality limit is already statutory. We will also give the
noise limits legal force.Second that any additional capacity will not compromise the legal air quality
and noise limits. We will give the CAA a new statutory environmental duty to
ensure that it acts in the interests of the environment in addition to its existing
obligations and duties, and that it follows guidance from myself, my Rt Hon Friend
the Environment Secretary and the Energy and Climate Change Secretary.
regulators will have a legal duty and the necessary powers to take action – or
require others to take the action – needed to come back into compliance. In the
case of noise this would be for the CAA. In the case of air quality, where emissions
from roads and rail around Heathrow also need to be considered the Environment
Agency will act as the enforcement body with appropriate guidance from Ministers.
Public transport
of adequate public transport. Major improvements in rail access have already been
announced, including increases in capacity on the Piccadilly line and the introduction
of Crossrail services from 2017. This will provide a maximum capacity of 6,000
passengers per hour which will be able to accommodate the estimated demand for
rail access to a three-runway airport.
project providing direct rail access to the airport at Terminal 5 from the south
and west. The Department will work with BAA and Network Rail to consider this
and other schemes to improve connections from Heathrow to places like Waterloo
and Guildford, Reading and other stations on the Great Western Mainline.
of the Government’s conditions for supporting a third runway at Heathrow can be
met.
proposed in the consultation are the best way to maximise the efficiency of a
larger airport.
that the increase in aircraft movements does not exceed 125,000 a year, rather
than – at this stage – allowing the full additional 222,000 aircraft movements
on which we consulted.
will, after consultation, be subject to a new "green slot" principle, to incentivise
the use at Heathrow of the most modern aircraft, with further benefits for air
quality and noise – and indeed carbon dioxide emissions.
Transport policy and carbon dioxide reductions
its full part in meeting our goal to limit carbon dioxide emissions.
emissions from international aviation were included in the EU 20% greenhouse gas
reduction target for 2020, agreed by the Prime Minister with other European leaders
in December last year.
Heathrow is expanded. With a fixed cap for aviation across Europe, doing nothing
at Heathrow would allow extra capacity at other hub airports like Frankfurt, Schipol
and Charles de Gaulle. "Doing nothing" will damage our economy and have no impact
what so ever on climate change.
and all sectors of each member state’s domestic economy. This includes emissions
from domestic transport within the UK.
on Climate Change on carbon budgets, taking into account aviation, and we will
set our carbon budgets later this year.
new limits on emissions from new cars. To reinforce the delivery of carbon dioxide
savings, and to lay the ground for greater savings beyond 2020, I am announcing
today funding of £250 million to promote the take-up, and commercialisation within
the UK, of ultra low emission road vehicles. With road transport emissions so
much greater than aviation’s, even a relatively modest take-up of electric vehicles
beyond 2020 could – on its own – match all the additional carbon dioxide generated
by the expansion of Heathrow.
We need to take the same tough approach to aviation emissions as we are doing
in relation to other transport emissions.
Trading Scheme, the Government will be pressing hard for international aviation
to be part of the global deal on climate change at Copenhagen later this year.
I have asked the Committee on Climate Change to report back later this year on
the best way in which such a deal for aviation could be structured.
same kind of progressively stricter limits on carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft
as are already in place for cars within the EU. My Hon Friend, the Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State, has been in Tokyo this week setting that out to a meeting
of G7 Transport Ministers.
how it could reduce UK emissions below 2005 levels by 2050. This could include
the use of new technologies like blended wings and through the sustainable introduction
of renewable fuels.
in 2050 below 2005 levels and I have asked the Committee on Climate Change to
advise on the best basis for this development.
with the help of the Committee on Climate Change.
today, will only be approved by the Government after a review by the Committee
on Climate Change in 2020 of whether we are on track to achieve the 2050 target
that I have announced.
carbon dioxide emissions:
First, we are limiting the initial extra capacity to around half of the original
proposal;Second, we intend that new slots at Heathrow will have to be green slots. Only
the cleanest planes would be allowed to use the new slots that will be made available;
andThird, we will establish a new target to limit aviation emissions in the UK to
below 2005 levels by 2050.
of any country in the world, which gives Ministers the confidence that we will
achieve our 80% emissions reduction target. And in addition we will make it one
of our highest priorities to secure international agreement on measures to reduce
aviation emissions.
and improve resilience. Since I am not willing to allow the two existing runways
to operate on mixed mode, I anticipate that the airport operator will bring forward
a planning application for a new runway to be operational early in the period
between 2015 and 2020 envisaged in the White Paper.
best to improve the passenger experience and encourage investment. In the regulatory
framework which results from this work, I expect the first call on new capacity
to ensure that journeys are more reliable for existing passengers. We will therefore
have a better airport.
Summary of Decisions
confirms policy support for adding a third runway at Heathrow with additional
passenger terminal facilities and a slightly longer runway (2,200m operational
length), but subject to an aggregate limit of 605,000 annual movements, which
would be subject to review in 2020;does not support the introduction of mixed mode on the existing runways as an
interim measure before a third runway;confirms his intention to end the ‘Cranford agreement’ (which currently limits
easterly departures off the northern runway);confirms his view that the following operating practices should be retained and
continued:‘westerly preference’ (the preferred direction of operation of the runways except
in strong contrary winds);‘ night-time rotation’ (the practice of alternating the use of the existing runways
at night between westerly and easterly preference, subject to weather conditions);
‘early morning alternation’ (the practice of alternating arriving aircraft between
the two runways in the 0600 to 0700 period, subject to operational requirements).
Adding capacity at Heathrow airport: Decisions following consultation
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