Government Aviation Strategy put back from “end of 2018” to “first half of 2019”
The Government’s Aviation Strategy will now not be presented to Parliament until summer 2019 despite the initial consultation in July 2017 promising the full strategy to be presented to Parliament “before the end of 2018”. The reason for the delay is unclear but campaigners say the strategy could in fact be put in jeopardy because of its reliance on Heathrow expansion – a project which has major parliamentary and legal hurdles to overcome. Rob Barnstone, Coordinator of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “This strategy is written on the basis that Heathrow expansion is a done deal. It is in fact very uncertain with parliamentary and legal hurdles which it will struggle to overcome. The Government seems hell-bent on expanding Heathrow, despite evidence that alternative options for growth in the sector would bring a greater benefit to regions across the UK and not just in the south east, as usual.” It has always been profoundly unsatisfactory, and illogical, for a key part of the UK aviation sector – Heathrow airport – being decided upon BEFORE the UK aviation policy for the whole sector. Rationally, it would be the other way round – aviation policy first, and then decide on whether Heathrow should expand.
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Government pushes aviation strategy back six months
7.4.2018 (No 3rd Runway Coalition press release)
The Government’s Aviation Strategy will now not be presented to Parliament until summer 2019 (1) despite the initial consultation promising the full strategy to be presented to Parliament “before the end of 2018” (2).
The reason for the delay is unclear but campaigners say the strategy could in fact be put in jeopardy because of its reliance on Heathrow expansion – a project which has major parliamentary and legal hurdles to overcome.
Rob Barnstone, Coordinator of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said:
“This strategy is written on the basis that Heathrow expansion is a done deal. It is in fact very uncertain with parliamentary and legal hurdles which it will struggle to overcome.
“The Government seems hell-bent on expanding Heathrow, despite evidence that alternative options for growth in the sector would bring a greater benefit to regions across the UK and not just in the south east, as usual.”
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Notes
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697994/next-steps-towards-an-aviation-strategy.pdf
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/636625/aviation-strategy-call-for-evidence.pdf
For more info: Rob Barnstone, 07806 947050
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In July 2017 the DfT said: (page 6 of document)
These consultations will take place during 2017 and 2018. A final Aviation Strategy will then be published by the end of 2018.
The April 2018 DfT document says: (page 84 of document)
This Next Steps document will start a period of intense engagement and policy development that will inform the contents of the green paper. This will ensure that the government is able publish a comprehensive and fully informed aviation strategy in early 2019.
and instead of consultation, it is now to be a period of “widespread engagement, to include a series of roundtables & workshops.” Page 85.
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See also
DfT publishes Aviation Strategy, with focus on growth and helping passengers – little on environmental impacts
The government has published its Aviation Strategy, which the DfT says “will set out the longterm direction for aviation policy to 2050 and beyond.” The first phase of its development was the publication of a call for evidence in July 2017. The Aviation Strategy says it will now “pursue 6 objectives, which are unchanged following the consultation.” It is very much focused on the passenger, the passenger experience, helping the aviation industry, expanding aviation and “building a global and connected Britain.” The Strategy “sets out further detail on the challenges associated with these objectives and some of the action that the government is considering and which will form part of further consultation later in the year.” The DfT says: “The government will continue the dialogue that has already begun on these issues. The next step will be the publication of detailed policy proposals in a green paper in the autumn of 2018. This will be followed by the final Aviation Strategy document in early 2019.” There is mention of the environmental problems (carbon, noise, air pollution) but they are given scant attention, and it is presumed they can all be reduced – even while the sector has huge growth. A new runway at Heathrow is assumed to happen.
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