MPs on BBC “Sunday Politics” on huge Heathrow uncertainties – including on economic benefit

Zac Goldsmith, speaking on the BBC’s ‘Sunday Politics’: “A lot has changed since the Airports Commission produced its report and that, don’t forget, was the bedrock of the government’s decision and the reason supposedly why the government made the decision that it made. But most of the assumptions made in that report have been undermined since by data on passenger numbers, on economic benefits and most of all, on pollution.” and  “In the free vote we could have had up to 60 MPs voting against Heathrow expansion. That’s the number that’s normally used and I think it’s right. In the circumstances where it requires an active rebellion, the numbers would be fewer. I can’t tell you what the number would be but I can tell you that there are people right the way through the party, from the back-benches to the heart of government, who will vote against Heathrow expansion.”  And Theresa Villiers said:  “At the heart of that private at private finance is passengers in the future but also the cost of the surface access is phenomenal. I mean, TfL estimates vary between £10 and 15 billion and there is no suggestion that those private backers are going to meet those costs, so this is a hugely expensive project and one that will create significant economic damage.”
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See BBC TV – Sunday Politics, on 29th October, with several MPs including Theresa Villiers talking about the serious difficulties of a Heathrow 3rd runway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-41795976/heathrow-expansion-is-mp-opposition-growing 

in which Zac Goldsmith MP said:

“A lot has changed since the Airports Commission produced its report and that, don’t forget, was the bedrock of the government’s decision and the reason supposedly why the government made the decision that it made. But most of the assumptions made in that report have been undermined since by data on passenger numbers, on economic benefits and most of all, on pollution.”

and

“In the free vote we could have had up to 60 MPs voting against Heathrow expansion. That’s the number that’s normally used and I think it’s right. In the circumstances where it requires an active rebellion, the numbers would be fewer. I can’t tell you what the number would be but I can tell you that there are people right the way through the party, from the back-benches to the heart of government, who will vote against Heathrow expansion.”

In this short clip (through Twitter) Theresa Villiers MP said:

“At the heart of that private at private finance is passengers in the future but also the cost of the surface access is phenomenal. I mean, TfL estimates vary between £10 and 15 billion and there is no suggestion that those private backers are going to meet those costs, so this is a hugely expensive project and one that will create significant economic damage.”

and Ruth Cadbury MP said:

“In my view the Heathrow option is not able to pass any [of Labour’s 4 tests].”

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Heathrow critics say revised figures have ‘trashed’ original case for expansion

Opponents of the Heathrow expansion plans (pictured) say the predicted economic benefits have been “trashed”
By Bradley

Amajor revision to the predicted economic benefits of a third runway at Heathrow has “trashed” Government evidence in support of the controversial expansion, opponents have claimed.

The Government has increased the amount it expects Heathrow project to contribute to the nation’s economy over 60 years by a fifth to £74bn.

It represents a £13bn increase from the figure laid out only a year ago by the independent Airports Commission.

The change has been seized upon by Heathrow opponents who accuse the Government of massaging numbers to support Heathrow ahead of rival Gatwick.

Paul McGuinness, chairman of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said the Airports Commission’s findings had been “trashed”.

“The evidence base the Government used to back its first preference is disintegrating,” he said. “An inescapable point about the figures is that when it comes to the economic argument, which was one reason Heathrow was backed in the first place, they now show the genuine possibility of Gatwick being ahead.”

The new draft Airports National Policy Statement acknowledges that while the cumulative benefits delivered by Heathrow’s Northwest runway proposal remain the highest until the mid-2070s, total benefits “are slightly lower than would be delivered by Gatwick expansion over the full 60-year assessment”.
But Glyn Jones, chief executive of Southend Airport owner Stobart Aviation, said continually reanalysing data was “not very helpful”.

“The constant revision of the evidence base means we are less likely to get a decision at all,” he said. Mr Jones added expansion of airport capacity in the south-east was “decades overdue”.

“We are completely agnostic about where the extra capacity goes but from a UK plc perspective it has to go somewhere,” he added.

“How will we trade on a truly international basis without sufficient runway capacity?”

A Heathrow spokesman said the revised figures did not take into account Heathrow’s role as the UK’s biggest port – handling the equivalent of £100bn in exports every year.

This, it said, meant its contribution to economic growth over the 60-year period would be closer to £211bn.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the revision to £74bn reflected updated passenger demand figures and the resulting increase in expected tax revenues.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/10/29/heathrow-critics-say-revised-figures-have-trashed-original-case/

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Union Representing Heathrow Staff Rejects Third Runway

BASHR3 public meeting in Hounslow shown on BBC Sunday Politics

BASHR3 Hounslow meeting

Marking one year since the government’s decision to “accept the recommendation of the Airports Commission” to expand Heathrow, BASH held a public meeting in Hounslow town centre. The well-attended evening was filmed by the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme and is available to watch onlineduring November (Heathrow starts 21 minutes in with Hounslow at 23).

Tahir Latif who represents Heathrow workers in the Public & Commercial Services Union(PCS)  was on the panel. The union opposes expansion, saying that there is little real evidence supporting the extravagant promises made about jobs. Tahir noted that it was ‘complex’ for the Aviation Group of PCS to oppose expansion, but said

“although we want to protect Heathrow jobs whether or not the airport expands, the environmental impact of a 3rd runway would be too serious. PCS advocates sustainable transport and the creation of new jobs in that growing sector.”

Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford & Isleworth and a founding member of BASH, was also on the panel.  She made clear that the campaign was not anti-Heathrow but wanted the airport to be better not bigger.

“Of course the local economy needs Heathrow, but there are many other growing industries locally that are not dependent on it and in fact have to compete with it.  A bigger Heathrow would also mean more traffic congestion, which has major economic as well as health costs.”

She added that what Heathrow actually needs to do is to strive to be a better place to work, with better working conditions for all, and to be a better neighbour.  This point was passionately supported by members of the audience  living in Hounslow who described the constant, distressing effect of aircraft noise on their lives.

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, informed the audience that the Government has just launched a further round of public consultations, this time on Air Quality and updated Passenger Number Forecasts, because some of the conclusions of Sir Howard Davies’s 2015 Airports Commission have proved inaccurate.  His view was that air pollution around the airport is unlikely to reach acceptable levels by the time the 3rd runway is due to open. Details of the new consultation can be found online.

October 30, 2017

http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=info&page=bashrunway3007.htm

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