Richmond Heathrow Campaign response to the Airports Commission choice of Heathrow

The Richmond Heathrow Campaign is wholly against a new third runway at Heathrow. There is unlikely to be any net benefit to the UK aviation market or to the UK economy. Why? According to the Airports Commission’s own figures, a new Heathrow runway results in no overall increase in the number of UK passengers, business passengers, flights or connectivity because it would be fed by re-distributing growth from other UK airports – in particular from airports outside the southeast. Heathrow expansion would result in cuts to flights at airports outside the southeast: as much as 45% at Birmingham, 30% at Bristol, 15% at Manchester and 10% at Edinburgh.  It would stifle growth around the UK and concentrate it at a single airport in the economically overheated southeast. This would be contrary to the government’s aim of re-balancing the UK economy. And the RHC makes also sets out its other key reasons for opposing a new Heathrow runway.
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The Richmond Heathrow Campaign responds to the Davies Commission

1.7.2015 (Richmond Heathrow Campaign)

The Davies Commission ……has now issued its final report, which recommends a third runway at Heathrow. The Commission’s final report marks the end of technical analysis but only the start of the political process.

The Richmond Heathrow Campaign is wholly against a new third runway at Heathrow. There is unlikely to be any net benefit to the UK aviation market or to the UK economy. Why? According to the Airports Commission’s own figures, a new Heathrow runway results in no overall increase in the number of UK passengers, business passengers, flights or connectivity because it would be fed by re-distributing growth from other UK airports – in particular from airports outside the southeast.

Heathrow expansion would result in cuts to flights at airports outside the southeast: as much as 45% at Birmingham, 30% at Bristol, 15% at Manchester and 10% at Edinburgh.  It would stifle growth around the UK and concentrate it at a single airport in the economically overheated southeast. This would be contrary to the government’s aim of re-balancing the UK economy.

There is already spare capacity at these other airports, which could be taken up at relatively small cost compared to the £18.6 billion cost for Heathrow expansion plus the £20 billion estimated by TfL for improved surface access to avoid poor service, road congestion and pollution.

Together with existing commitments, Heathrow could need to fund £54 billion of investment. Much of this may have to be funded by taxpayers. Surely this cannot be justified if all it does is to duplicate existing capacity without any overall benefit to the UK economy?

Heathrow expansion also has a substantial environmental cost. With another runway, UK aviation would produce more than 25% of total UK carbon emissions by 2050 challenging legal climate change targets. Moreover, breaches of nitrogen dioxide statutory limits are likely to remain unresolved, making a 3rd runway unlawful.

World Health Organisation noise targets are not applied to Heathrow. If they were there could be 1 million people exposed to noise without expansion and 1.5 million with expansion. The number of people currently exposed is three times that of any other European airport. Uncertainty of where flight paths will be positioned creates a large blight over London for many years to come and several hundred thousand people would be exposed to aircraft noise for the first time.

The case against Heathrow expansion is overwhelming – more noise, more pollution, unjustifiable expense with no clear benefit to the UK or local economy. Instead, the Richmond Heathrow Campaign favours no new runways in the southeast but better use of existing UK capacity and improved access to London’s five airports, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, City and Luton, which together are an unbeatable match for any city.

Whatever the outcome of the runway debate, the Richmond Heathrow Campaign also seeks a ban on all Heathrow night flights and the enforcement of World Health Organisation targets for noise control and management.

http://www.richmondheathrowcampaign.org/