Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
New runway will swallow up the village of Sipson
Expansion plans will mean Heathrow gaining another runway but losing an entire village. The community of Sipson will cease to be once work on the building of the third runway begins. All told, 700 properties will be lost to the runway, which will be sited to the north of the existing runways and which will be 2,406 yards in length. (Indy)
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Heathrow decision – “The Decision of the Dinosaurs”
HACAN has condemned the Government’s decision to give the green light to Heathrow expansion, and believe opponents have won the environmental, social and economic arguments against it. There will be fury at this decision which flies in the face of the facts, and will mean campaigners will re-double their efforts to stop expansion. People will fight the Government in the courts, in their communities, in town halls and maybe even on the Heathrow runway tarmac.
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Heathrow third runway ‘gets go-ahead’
Ministers have approved the plan to build a 3rd runway, the BBC understands. Despite opposition from residents, environmental campaigners and many of its own MPs, Labour is set to confirm the decision officially on Thursday. Critics say it will irreparably damage the UK's credentials on tackling climate change. Gordon Brown said that should the government give the go-ahead, there would be a debate in Parliament and that the scheme would have to be granted planning permission. (BBC)
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Liverpool John Lennon airport growth ‘is vital’
The government has been urged to back the expansion of Liverpool John Lennon airport or risk thousands of jobs. Lobby group FlyingMatters supports growth in aviation and claims to represent trade unions, businesses, tourism groups, farmers in the developing world and the aviation industry. The JLA plan included up to 12.3m extra passengers a year and growth in freight to 220,000 tonnes a year. (Echo)
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The Big Question: Will the latest Heathrow protest halt the development of a third runway?
The Independent has a long article, summing up a lot of the Heathrow issues. It has sections on: Why are we asking this now? What do Greenpeace intend to do with the land? What are the concerns of the opponents? Are there any other obstacles to expansion? Is there any other opposition? Who is supporting a third runway? Is it likely to go ahead? So will formal support from the Government be the end to it? How about a Thames estuary airport instead? etc
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Third runway rebels hear from the whips
Government whips have embarked on a "ring round" to put pressure on rebel Labour MPs not to join forces with the Tories in a Commons vote opposing a 3rd runway at Heathrow. As the cabinet discussed the expansion of Heathrow at its weekly meeting yesterday, the rebel MPs said they were prepared to ignore a government 3-line whip and vote with the Conservatives. Cameron is expected to devote one of the Tories' opposition day debates to the issue. (Guardian)
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A runway for jobs? It’s time aviation’s bluff was called
"I would flatten rare toads for growth - but for all the airline lobby's cant, there is no wider economic case for expanding Heathrow", says Simon Jenkins. The BAA lobby has conned the CBI, London First and even the unions into believing the 3rd runway is needed for the economy, fobbing them off with a factoid that the runway would "create 50,000 jobs". So would rebuilding mental health infrastructure, which would thus also be "good for business".(Guardian)
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The end of their world – some of those whose lives will be devastated by the 3rd runway
At least 700 homes will be destroyed if Heathrow airport gets its third runway. Thousands of other people will be severely affected. Patrick Barkham meets some of those who have most to fear. Jack Clark, Geraldine Nicholson, Edna La Mothe, John Hobbs and Jenine Langrish say how it will change their lives. (Guardian)
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Heathrow: anxiety grips Labour backbenchers – decision may be delayed
MPs warn that seats would be endangered and the government's environmental credibility destroyed if expansion went ahead. A decision on controversial plans to build a 3rd runway could be put off again. Brown raised the prospect of a delay when he agreed to a meeting with Labour backbenchers to discuss their concerns. The Prime Minister is facing a major rebellion on the issue, with more than 40 of his MPs publicly demanding the plans be dropped.
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Protesters buy up Heathrow land
Land the size of half a football pitch - earmarked for the construction of the 3rd runway - near Sipson was bought by a Greenpeace coalition, which has pledged not to sell the land to the government or BAA if the airport expansion gets the go-ahead. Greenpeace director John Sauven said: "We've thrown a massive spanner in the engine driving Heathrow expansion." Anyone wanting to do so can become a Beneficial Owner - see details (BBC and Greenpeace)