Evening Standard believes Ministers likely to make runway decision by end of year

The Evening Standard reports that Ministers are determined to make a firm decision on building a new runway by the end of the year, and Heathrow is considered to be the most likely location. Runway proponents fear the Government would put off a runway rather than risk a huge battle against environmentalists and local residents blighted by more flights. There has also been talk of a delay on the airports announcement until after the London mayoral election in May 2016, due to Zac Goldsmith. Though Patrick McLoughlin has intimated that the decision could be postponed, the Standard understands that ministers are determined to make a firm decision by the end of the year. A special Cabinet committee on airport expansion, chaired by David Cameron, is to meet for the first time within weeks (its first meeting is meant to have happened already). George Osborne is setting up a new National Infrastructure Commission, and wants to be seen to be getting things built fast – a runway would be a key project. The government knows it has to get the Heathrow plan done correctly, to avoid judicial reviews causing delays.It would be easier for the government to choose a Heathrow runway, because if they choose Gatwick they would need strong arguments and fresh evidence, to override the Commission’s conclusions.
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Ministers ‘set to back another runway in the South East within 11 weeks’

EXCLUSIVE: Ministers are determined to make a firm decision by the end of the year, the Standard has learned 

By NICHOLAS CECIL (Evening Standard)

5.10.2015

 

Ministers are set to back another runway in the South East within 11 weeks, with Heathrow on the brink of victory.

Aviation experts feared the Government would put off a decision on airport expansion, as has happened for decades, rather than risk a huge battle against environmentalists and local residents blighted by more flights.

Heathrow bosses have publicly put their chances of getting Government approval for a third runway at 70 to 80 per cent, with a 20 to 30 per cent likelihood of ministers kicking the issue into the long grass.

There has also been talk of a delay on the airports announcement until after the London mayoral election next May as Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith has vowed to resign as MP for Richmond Park, which would spark a by-election, if the Government backs a third runway at Heathrow.

But the Standard understands that ministers are determined to make a firm decision by the end of the year to go ahead with another runway in the South East, with Heathrow expansion the clear favourite.

If the west London airport is allowed to expand, the Government is expected to demand a ban on a fourth runway and for stricter night flight limits than currently operate.

The Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, overwhelmingly backed another runway at Heathrow in July.

A special Cabinet committee on airport expansion, chaired by David Cameron, is to meet for the first time within weeks.

While no decision has yet been made, George Osborne today hailed the airports panel as a “good example” of what needs to happen to build the infrastructure that Britain requires.

Championing a new National Infrastructure Commission, the Chancellor said: “We have been talking about building a runway in the South East for 50 or 60 years.

“We now have an independent report that has forced the choice on the Government.”

He added that the Government had to follow proper procedure for its decision to avoid judicial reviews delaying expansion but he added: “Britain has really got to raise its game in getting these big projects underway.”

The timing of the announcement by December will further fuel speculation that the Government will opt for the west London airport.

If the Government were to instead choose a second runway at Gatwick, it would need strong arguments, and almost certainly fresh evidence to support them, to override the Airports Commission’s conclusions.

It would be vulnerable to legal challenges, according to some aviation insiders, if it relied on the Davies Report to support the case for a second runway at the Sussex airport.

Going for Gatwick would also deal a blow to the reputation of Sir Howard who was appointed as chairman of the largely State-owned Royal Bank of Scotland with the approval of the Chancellor.

Department for Transport officials are currently analysing the Commission’s findings on the three options shortlisted by Sir Howard, a third runway to the north west of Heathrow, extending its northern runway to in effect turn it into two, or a second runway at Gatwick.

Gatwick is still in the running, however, John Stewart, chairman of anti-Heathrow expansion group HACAN, said: “It’s all pointing for the green light to be given to a third runway at Heathrow.

“But the government may well say it’s got to be satisfied that noise and air pollution will be properly dealt with.”

Stringent air quality and noise conditions could be placed on a third runway, with aviation minister Robert Goodwill stressing last night that “some people might put more emphasis on the environmental considerations than the commercial considerations which Sir Howard very clearly understood”.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/ministers-set-to-back-another-runway-in-the-south-east-within-11-weeks-a3082771.html

 


 

Labour peer Lord Adonis to head Osborne infrastructure body – to get things like a new runway built fast

A new body to plan infrastructure projects, the “independent” National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) will be chaired by the former Labour transport secretary Lord Adonis. The government is expected to announce it will pledge an extra £5 billion in this Parliament for major schemes, which he hopes will boost the UK economy. Osborne says he plans to “shake Britain out of its inertia” and Lord Adonis thinks that without “big improvements” in transport and energy “Britain will grind to a halt”. The NIC will initially focus on London’s transport system, connections between cities in the north of England, and updating the energy network – funded by selling off land, buildings and other government assets. Lord Adonis has resigned the Labour whip and will sit as a crossbencher in the Lords as he starts work in his new role immediately. The NIC will produce a report at the start of each five-year Parliament containing recommendations of infrastructure building over the next 20 to 30 years. Osborne: “I’m not prepared to turn round to my children – or indeed anyone else’s child – and say ‘I’m sorry, we didn’t build for you.’ John Cridland, director-general of the CBI business lobby said: ” ….we must not duck the important infrastructure decisions that need taking now, particularly on expanding aviation capacity in the South East.”

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Guardian reports Patrick McLoughlin saying Government statement on runway likely to be delayed – even past May 2016

An article in the Guardian, interviewing Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, says that because of the well known “deep and unresolved cabinet splits over whether to expand Heathrow to provide more airport capacity for the south-east, the statement by the government about the runway issue may be delayed. It has been expected that some sort of statement would be made, before Christmas. This might be in favour of Heathrow, or it might be a holding response to give government more time. The Guardian states: “McLoughlin said an announcement would “hopefully” be made [before Christmas], but he could not promise it would, or indeed that it would be made before next May’s London and council elections. It was simply the firm intention, but that was as much as he could say.” At least five cabinet ministers, as well as Boris Johnson, a likely candidate to succeed Cameron after he steps down in 2020, are against, while Osborne, probably now the favourite to step into Cameron’s shoes, is in favour. Zac Goldsmith, Conservative Mayoral candidate, deeply opposed to the runway, is a huge complication for the government on the issue.

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