Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Leeds Bradford Airport’s £70m expansion plan under threat in transport clash
Plans to expand Leeds Bradford have been kicked into touch. The airport wants to increase passenger numbers to 5.1 million a year by 2016. Planning councillors unanimously agreed to defer their decision. They indicated broad support for the expansion, but criticised the airport's transport blueprint for failing to tackle key issues. These included transport links from Leeds. The plans will now be discussed again by councillors at a later date. (Yorkshire Post)
Click here to view full story...
New date set for Stansted inquiry – at least 3 months ahead
A date for an inquiry into the development of one Stansted's 2nd runway will be announced by the end of next month. The hearing was put back last month. Now the DCLG has set a new timetable for the public inquiry. There will then be a minimum of 8 weeks between the announcement and the start of the inquiry. The hearing had been held up to allow BAA to consider the implications of a Competition Commission ruling that the airport should be sold. (Gazette)
Click here to view full story...
Yorkshire airports expansion ‘could cost over 55,000 jobs’
Campaigners say expansion of 3 Yorkshire airports will cost the region's economy £2bn in lost tourism revenue and tourism jobs. FoE say increased traffic from the airports will mean money will be spent by UK residents overseas instead of in the region, and could prevent the creation of over 55,000 new tourism jobs in Yorkshire. They are calling on Councils to refuse expansion at Leeds Bradford, Doncaster and Humberberside airports. (Post)
Click here to view full story...
Hoon held Madrid talks to ‘build bridges’ over BAA row
Geoff Hoon flew to Madrid for talks with Ferrovial after they complained about Britain's competition watchdog. Ferrovial, the parent company of BAA, was so angry at the actions of the Competition Commission, which is forcing it to sell off several UK airports, that talks were held with Britain's ambassador in Spain, Denise Holt. Shortly afterwards the Transport Secretary agreed to travel to Madrid on a mission to "build bridges". (Standard)
Click here to view full story...
Who was in the loop over Heathrow?
As opponents of the third Heathrow runway launch a legal challenge, they are asking why the government consulted on one set of proposals and then did something different. Why did ministers consult on a fully operational runway and agree one that could well operate at half capacity? Why did they claim to have honoured their environmental pledges and then introduce a new set of pledges? Who was in the loop when all this was agreed? (Guardian comment)
Click here to view full story...
Legal challenge launched against Government’s decision to back Heathrow 3rd runway
A coalition representing millions of people has launched a legal challenge against the Government over its decision to give BAA permission to draw up detailed plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The coalition includes residents' organisations NoTRAG and HACAN, 7 local councils and 4 leading green groups. The key points of the challenge are on noise targets, EU legal limits on air pollution, carbon emissions and need for a fresh consultation.
Click here to view full story...
Legal Challenge to Heathrow runway plan
A legal appeal is to be launched by councils opposed to the decision to approve a 3rd runway. At the High Court the 2M group, which represents 23 local authorities, will apply for a judicial review of the government's approval of the expansion. The local authorities will argue that Transport Minister Geoff Hoon arrived at his decision on a potentially half-capacity 3rd runway, which was different to the fully-operational runway in the consultation. (BBC)
Click here to view full story...
Whitehall demanded BAA probe
Whitehall officials asked Merrill Lynch to investigate the "robustness" of BAA’s finances before Christmas after a slump in its bonds. The Merrill Lynch report, revealed under FoI, also covered Ferrovial. Disclosure of official concern over BAA’s finances will add to City fears over BAA and increase speculation that it may need to raise fresh debt or equity. Some transport experts believe the group may struggle to fund a 3rd runway. (Sunday Times)
Click here to view full story...
Birmingham Airport plan prepares for take-off – 400m extension allowed
Controversial plans to extend the runway at Birmingham finally got the go-ahead from Solihull Council. Birmingham Airport had to resubmit its proposed Section 106 agreement, which explained how it planned to counteract noise pollution and to protect the environment. The planning committee approved the 400-metre extension in December - subject to the amended guarantees now agreed. Expansion will enable bigger jets to fly non-stop to long-haul destinations. (B'ham Post)
Click here to view full story...
Activists Adopt-a-Resident in Sipson to beat the bulldozers
Activists from around Britain came to Harmondsworth to launch a scheme to Adopt-a-Resident under threat from the proposed Heathrow expansion. If needed, activists have pledged to stand together with their adopted residents and fight attempts to remove them from their homes. As the residents gathered in the local church hall, they were each given a raffle ticket and were matched with an activist, whose matching raffle ticket was drawn from a hat. (NoTRAG)