Heathrow expansion protesters win legal challenge
year after a High Court victory by a coalition of green groups, councils and local
residents.
must be held in open court because of the public interest element.
judicial review sought by protesters.
Hoon , the then transport secretary, giving his backing to the expansion.
by 2050. However, he later seemed to distance himself from the statement.
than others. But she added: “There are some areas in which clarification is desirable,
including the issue of the defendant’s statement to parliament.”
Heathrow decision is incompatible with the government’s climate change policy.
They believe that the third runway will contribute to higher emissions both from
aircraft and from a rise in “surface traffic” on roads surrounding the airport.
need to slash emissions and stop runaway climate change,” said John Sauven, executive
director of Greenpeace.
this week’s comments by Lord Adonis, who succeeded Mr Hoon in June, about high-speed
rail replacing large numbers of short-haul flights.
should take priority.
the decisions made on Heathrow in January.”
from 480,000 to 605,000 a year. Any more increases would depend on whether Britain
was on track to reduce its total aviation emissions.
expected to form the next government – are committed to scrapping the plans.
over his decision to back the expansion.
Johnson, the Tory mayor of London. But several business bodies are urging the
government to hold firm, arguing that Heathrow is close to full capacity and needs
to be larger to meet growing demand.
see also
Campaigners granted Court hearing over Heathrow third runway decision
to rule on the campaigners’ complaints. In doing so the Judge recognised the "significant
public interest element to the case" as well as the need for "clarification" of
the Transport Secretary’s statement to Parliament in January giving the green
light to expansion. Opponents are delighted to get a court hearing, which puts
the Government on the defensive over its controversial runway decision. 6.8.2009