General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Blog by Ralph Smyth (CPRE) on likely negative impact of a new runway on re-balancing UK economy and regions
In a blog, Ralph Smyth - Transport Campaign Manager at CPRE - writes of the negative impacts of a new south east runway, not only locally but also on the wider UK economy and the regions. In all other areas of endeavour, other than the runway issue, politicians and businesses are are enthusiastic about rebalancing England’s economic activity, to give the north a boost. "But the moment you mention aviation, they all scramble back to the safety of London, focusing on providing ever more runways to the capital’s airports." An expanded Heathrow would become the biggest airport in the world, equal only to the Istanbul New Airport. An expanded Gatwick would become as big as Heathrow now. The fundamental problem though is the lack of any ‘larger than local’ planning in England: as a country we are unique in the developed world in not having any national spatial plan. England has nothing to assess the wider strategic fit of such enormous airport expansion proposals. Not only would another runway put more pressure on the south-east, it could make it harder to regenerate brownfield sites in the north. Worse still, the more aviation grows, the more the risk is that other sectors will have to do more to reduce CO2 emissions if overall UK targets for carbon reduction are to be met.
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Committee on Climate Change writes to Sir Howard to say aviation CO2 emissions must not be over 2005 level by 2050
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has written to the Airports Commission (AC) in response to its consultation. The letter reiterates the Committee’s earlier recommendation that the Airports Commission’s economic analysis of the expansion options should reflect the need to restrain aviation growth in order to manage emissions from the sector. This in effect means that the costs of limiting emissions – which may be transferred to passengers or industry – are included in the cost-benefit analysis for each of the 3 runway schemes. The AC has yet to complete this assessment. The CCC is clear that the Government’s airports policy should reflect the need for aviation emissions to be no higher in 2050 than in 2005, this being the maximum level of emissions that would be compatible with the Climate Change Act. However, the ‘uncapped’ forecasts for national aviation emissions produced by the AC exceed the 2005 emissions levels under all three possible expansion options. In the absence of some unspecified policy that would limit emissions, therefore, a new runway would result in the UK failing in its legal climate commitments. The CCC letter says "Higher aviation emissions than 2005 levels in 2050 should not be planned for, since this would imply greater than 85% cuts in other sectors; there is limited confidence about the scope for this."
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Airports Commission “Senior Delivery Group” report – on implementing (unpopular?) airspace changes
The Airports Commission's Senior Delivery Group - for implementation of airspace changes - was set up in the summer of 2014, by Patrick McLoughlin, on the suggestion of the Commission. It is led by the CAA. It produced its first report in July 2014 when it stated “the SDG will encourage the gathering of evidence to help strike the right balance between operational benefits and the impact on local communities affected by aircraft noise.” It has now produced its second report, a technical paper on the "Implementation of Performance-Based Navigation in the UK." This says: "The measures included in FAS are a pre-requisite for accommodating future growth in demand for aviation, regardless of whether there is a decision to build new runway capacity." It aims to ensure "local communities have a say in how the modernisation programme is delivered. Effective engagement with those that may be impacted by the changes is critical to the development of a modern, sustainable air transport route network." And "Before an airspace trial commences, there should always be a consideration of what level of consultation is appropriate and proportionate to the objectives of the trial and in view of its likely impact". The presumption throughout is that there will be more air travel, more flight paths, and these will be concentrated. Consultation with affected communities should be enough to solve the problem.... ?
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Heathrow tells Commission its devastating impact on local villages will have a “neutral” effect on community cohesion
Heathrow's submission to the Airports Commission attempts to say that the impact on local communities, the Heathrow Villages in particular, would be "neutral". The Commission has considered it, rightly, to be "adverse" - which is a fairly staggering understatement anyway. The local paper, Colnbrook Views, is understandably stunned by this. They say "Heathrow has actually suggested to Sir Howard that he is wrong to say that losing large tracts of the village to tarmac while subjecting an untold number to as yet unquantified noise and air pollution is actually, on balance, going to be a good thing. ....Far from being an “adverse” effect on the village, Sir Howard Davies has been told to rethink his conclusion and find instead that mitigations proposed by the airport will “set remaining communities on a new footing underpinned by facility provision and other community support mechanisms”. The Heathrow logic's glaring inadequacy is shown in their statement: ”We do acknowledge that the effect of the airport expansion on Harmondsworth and Sipson would be considerable and that Longford would be removed completely. However, we do believe that, even for these communities, although the local dynamic may change, there will still be community cohesion for those that wish to continue living in these villages. (sic .... Longford would be removed .... but Heathrow says it will be good for people still living there ??)
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Defra data on NO2 emissions show Heathrow would breach limits by 2030, even with just 2 runways – let alone 3
Defra data showing 50 UK roads with highest nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels suggests the A4 road, that runs along the north border of Heathrow Airport, will still exceed EU air pollution limits by 2030 - even without the addition of a 3rd runway. The Defra figures (obtained by Clean Air in London by an FoI request) show that, in 2030, after the A501 (Marylebone Road in London) the A4 will be the road with the 2nd highest NO2 concentrations in the UK - with just two runways. A 3rd runway would inevitably lead to an increase in the number of passengers and associated road traffic coming, including freight. Air pollution is therefore likely to rise, and substantially. Environmental NGO the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) says a 3rd runway at Heathrow “now looks impossible” before 2030, due to the projections of the air quality impacts of expansion. And “Questions must be asked about the Airports Commission’s decision not to carry out detailed modelling of the air quality impact of a new runway prior to publishing its final consultation.” Heathrow produced a bland statement about "managing our environmental responsibilities" which did not address the problem - hoping to persuade passengers not to travel to/from the airport by car. And the air freight? The UK is currently facing legal action from the European Commission due to its failure to meet EU annual average NO2 limits.
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Boris wants Network Rail to work on improved rail link between London and Stansted
Boris Johnson has told Network Rail that it should fast-track upgrades of the rail line between London and Stansted and Cambridge, which he says are of national importance. In autumn 2014 Network Rail put forward a 30-year plan for the rail links in the East Anglian region, but an upgrade of the line to Stansted was not included. It was just mentioned as part of a wish list out to beyond 2040. Part of the investigation by the Airports Commission has been looking at how current airport capacity could be used better, including improvement of rail links - and the Stansted line was included. Sir Howard Davies has said Network Rail's plans for the track to Stansted were not ambitious enough. Boris wants a four-track solution, to get fast trains between London and Stansted taking just over 20 minutes, which is under half the present journey time. Boris says the 4-track line would be of national importance, and a precursor to Crossrail 2, which is planned to run underground from south west to north east of London, and be built by 2030. Boris says good rail lines from north east London need to be in place before Crossrail 2 is finished. He wants the preparatory works for the Stansted line to be in Network Rail's present 5-year plan up to 2019.
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John Holland-Kaye complains Heathrow pays too much in business rates (while paying little Corporation Tax)
John Holland-Kaye is complaining that the £168 million per year it pays in its business rates is too high, and it is "punishing investment." He claims it is risking "jobs and growth" and it should be reformed. Mr Holland-Kays says Heathrow has the highest business rates bill in England, and the cost is so large that it was beginning to affect investment decisions. (Heathrow is also one of the largest emitters of CO2 in the country - not far behind Drax power station). Heathrow has paid little corporation tax for many years, as it invests money in its infrastructure. This benefits its overseas owners, but means the company does not make a profit - hence avoiding UK corporation tax. Heathrow argues that the £11 billion of investment, from its foreign owners, for its infrastructure benefits people and businesses in the UK, so other businesses pay more tax .... The foreign owners hope to make a good return on their investment. On the level of business rates, Mr Holland-Kaye says the level or rates "disincentivises significant investment like ours which has a huge benefit for the jobs that have been created while we've been investing." Five years ago, Heathrow's business rates bill was about £93.4 million. Gatwick's bill is about £30 million this year. George Osborne pledged to conduct a review of the business rates system by March 2016 if the Tories are re-elected.
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NetworkRail plans for improved rail link to Heathrow T5 from the west, by tunnel, go on show
NetworkRail has put plans for consultation, for a new rail tunnel, connecting the main line into London from the west with Heathrow Terminal 5. The proposed link, subject to planning permission, includes a 3.1 mile (5km) tunnel from the Great Western Main Line at Langley to T5. This could cut journey times between Reading and Heathrow and reduce road congestion, if passengers travelled by train instead of by car. A series of public consultation events is to be held in Iver and Slough. The rail plan was given the go-ahead by the government in 2012. There would need to be a new junction created between Langley and Iver stations. There are claims that the rail link would mean a quarter of people in the UK "within one interchange" of Heathrow. The tunnel only travels under 2 houses so is not expected to cause too much disruption locally. The tunnel would go ahead regardless of whether there is a new runway, or not. It is expected the tunnelling would take a year. It has the potential to make journeys from the west faster and easier. The timetable is for informal consultation now; formal public consultation in summer 2015; submission of application in early 2016; work starts spring / summer 2017; work completed and trains running by the end of 2021.
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Daniel Moylan considers it possible there will be no decision on a new runway any time soon
Daniel Moylan, one of whose tasks is advisor to the Mayor of London on aviation, has said it is quite possible there will be no decision on a new runway any time soon. Daniel Moylan and Boris are resolutely against a Heathrow runway, preferring a mega-airport in the Thames estuary instead. Daniel Moylan, speaking at a conference in London, said: “I’ve reached a rather gloomy conclusion....I don’t think that as a result of the Airports Commission anything determined will happen. It’s quite possible no decision will be taken.” Having no idea who will form the next government he said: "I don’t doubt the government can force through a policy against opposition. But it has to be a priority for them....I don’t see any of the parties has that level of commitment, and I don’t see the Commission has generated that level of commitment.” He warned that the next London Mayor would oppose expansion at Heathrow ...."all the evidence is that there will be cross-party opposition to expanding Heathrow....So whoever is Mayor after Boris is likely to oppose expanding Heathrow.” The Mayoral election will be on 5th May 2016 and the nominations must be completed by the end of March 2016.
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All Party Parliamentary Group analysis shows a 3rd runway at Heathrow would be at the expense of surrounding airports
The All-Party Parliamentary Group of MPs (APPG) has submitted a report to the Airports Commission (and to the Government) showing that, according to the Commission’s own figures, there would be no overall increase in the number of UK passengers, flights or destinations as a result of a 3rd Heathrow runway. Instead, any increased activity at Heathrow airport itself would be fed almost entirely by re-distributing growth from other UK airports. This would me an more activity at Heathrow at the expense of regional airports, customers and the wider economy. The All Party Parliamentary Group's "Wider Economy" Report raises serious doubts about there being any net benefit to the wider UK economy, or to the regions, from a new Heathrow runway. It suggests the runway could even have a significant negative impacts on them. The Commission's figures show that with or without an extra runway at Heathrow, the growth rate of the UK passenger market from 2030 to 2050 is anticipated to be 1.4% per annum. It is predicted that a 3rd runway would cause a reduction of 207,000 flights per year, to and from regional airports by 2050. The total number of destination airports for flights from UK airports might also be lower, if there is a 3rd Heathrow runway.