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Heathrow expansion plans expected Heathrow expansion plans unveiled
(1 day later)
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly is expected to announce plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport and comment on the need for a sixth terminal. Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has set out proposals for a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow.
She is likely to say a third, short runway will not breach strict noise and environmental limits. Announcing options for consultation, she said without growth the airport's status would suffer, but any expansion must meet noise and pollution tests.
She will talk up the benefits of using Heathrow's two existing runways for take offs at the same time, rather than the alternation method currently used. Among options are a 2,200m third runway built north of Heathrow by 2020, and a sixth terminal, which will require the destruction of an entire village.
But opponents say the plans will mean increased noise for more than 50 towns. Critics say more than 50 communities and towns will suffer increased noise.
The news comes just 24 hours after a government report suggested that Heathrow Airport had one of the lowest satisfaction scores for departure lounge crowding, check-in and getting around the airport. If nothing changes, Heathrow's status as a world-class airport will be gradually eroded Ruth Kelly class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7107415.stm">At-a-glance: Heathrow plans class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7107549.stm">In quotes: Reaction to plans
Anger Analysis published by the government on Thursday suggests an expanded Heathrow could meet air pollution and noise limits over time.
Expansion at Heathrow could see flights increase from 480,000 a year to 800,000 - a move that will anger local residents and green campaigners. It says three runways could be operated from 2020, without breaching air quality limits - thanks to developments like cleaner aircraft engines.
Ms Kelly's announcement follows consultation on plans to expand Heathrow, which were first mooted in the government's 2003 aviation White Paper. name="back">
The biggest coalition against airport expansion in UK history has been assembled to fight the government's proposals John StewartHacan class="bodl" href="#anchor">See noise projections for Heathrow's expansion
The findings could start the process for airport operator BAA to submit a formal planning application for a third runway at Heathrow. But it says take-offs and landings should be limited to 605,000 a year initially, to meet noise restrictions.
This will prompt a furious reaction from conservationists and residents at a time when Gordon Brown says he believes the UK's emission target of a 60% cut by 2050 could be increased to 80%. As older, noisier planes are phased out, this could rise to 702,000 by 2030. Currently there are 480,000 a year.
Ms Kelly has said expansion at Heathrow is important to the UK economy. It is believed a third, short runway could benefit the coffers by £6bn. The third runway is among proposals in a consultation process which will run until 27 February.
The 2M Group, which represents 12 local authorities in the Heathrow area, says the plans will mean increased noise for more than 50 towns and communities. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1195741463/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1195741463/html/1.stm', '1195741773', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=348,left=312,top=100'); return false;">See the proposed site in detail href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1195741463/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1195741463/html/1.stm', '1195741773', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=348,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map
It said the expansion would mean 900 extra flights a day and noise affecting residents living as far west from the airport as Maidenhead and Windsor and as far in to London as Kensington and Chelsea. Another is a sixth terminal to serve the new runway, which would require 700 properties to be bulldozed, including the village of Sipson.
'Symbolic' fight In the meantime, the two existing runways could be used for both take-off and landings - currently arrivals are switched from one to the other after 3pm to give residents a break from the noise.
John Stewart, chairman of the anti-airport expansion group Hacan, said the proposals could be defeated by the strength of opposition to them from MPs and "direct action activists". And agreements governing the direction in which aircraft leave and arrive at the airport could be changed.
"The biggest coalition against airport expansion in UK history has been assembled to fight the government's proposals," he said. The government says it would have to be confident that any expansion would be able to comply with EU limits on air pollution and would not breach limits on the size of the area significantly affected by aircraft noise.
"Never before has any government faced such opposition to its plans to expand an airport. For local residents, it is make or break. 'Running scared'
"For environmentalists across the country, Heathrow has become the symbol in the fight against climate change." Ms Kelly said: "Heathrow supports 170,000 jobs, billions of pounds of British exports and is our main gateway to the global economy.
Ministers have said that expansion at Heathrow has to comply with mandatory EU air quality limit values that will apply from 2010. "But for too long it has operated at nearly full capacity, with relatively minor problems causing severe delays to passengers.
'Serious noise' POSTCODE SEARCH Enter a full postcode to find out how a third runway could affect noise levels in your area. Search goes to an external website. class="" href="http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/heathrowconsultation/furtherinformation/postcodesearch/">Find out more on the Department for Transport's website
The White Paper said further development at the airport was conditional on there being no net increase, compared with summer 2002, in the total area getting noise levels of 57 decibels. "If nothing changes, Heathrow's status as a world-class airport will be gradually eroded - jobs will be lost and the economy will suffer."
Susan Kramer, the Lib Dems transport spokeswoman, said: "These plans could see the number of flights from Heathrow rise to 800,000 per year, making a mockery of any attempts to tackle climate change. But shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said there were "tough questions" to answer as Prime Minister Gordon Brown had said he would look at whether carbon emissions could be cut by 80%.
"Expanding the airport further will cause serious noise problems for residents across London." And she said: "This is one of the most important decisions we face as a nation and it is scandalous that Ruth Kelly won't answer in Parliament to the MPs who represent people whose lives are directly impacted by the future Heathrow."
Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer said: "Aviation is already the fastest growing source of UK carbon dioxide emissions. 'Over capacity'
"Building a third runway at Heathrow will inevitably lead to even more flights and more pollution." Ministers have backed in principle plans to expand Heathrow, first put forward in the 2003 aviation White Paper.
But the GMB union said an extra runway and terminal at Heathrow would be welcome because the current infrastructure was worn out and a major cause of delays to flights. Airport operator BAA's chief executive Stephen Nelson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's been over capacity for 17 years, it's now handling 60,000 more passengers a day than it was built for - that puts us under extraordinary pressure."
Proposals would mean some areas get more noise, some get less
He said the airport brought tourists, businesses and jobs to London. BA has argued a third runway could be worth £9bn a year to the national economy.
But John Stewart, chairman of the anti-airport expansion group Hacan, questioned the figures, telling the BBC: "There's a mantra here that it's important for the economy - the expansion of Heathrow. What has never been worked out is how those figures are arrived at."
And he said the proposals could be defeated by the strength of opposition to them from local authorities, MPs and "direct action activists".
'Robbed of peace'
The 2M Group, which represents 12 local authorities in the Heathrow area, says the plans will mean 900 extra flights a day and increased noise for more than 50 towns and communities, from Maidenhead, west of Heathrow eastwards into Kensington and Chelsea in London.
Susan Kramer, the Lib Dems' transport spokeswoman, whose Richmond Park constituency is among those affected, said the plans would rob people in west London of the "half day of peace" they currently get.
HAVE YOUR SAY Rather than increase the size of Heathrow, look to the regional airports. Steve Knight, Chulmleigh Send us your comments
She added: "At a time of climate change, with aviation having such a big impact, shouldn't we be completely rethinking this and putting that kind of investment into rail?"
But the GMB union said expansion was needed because the current infrastructure was worn out and a major cause of delays to flights.
And David Frost, of the British Chambers of Commerce, added: "Heathrow expansion is one of the fundamental infrastructure projects necessary to keep the country competitive."
PROJECTED NOISE FOOTPRINTS FOR HEATHROW EXPANSION 2002 Recent noise footprint showing sound at 57 decibels - the point at which the government says noise becomes "a community annoyance". There were 466,000 Air Transport Movements (ATMs) in 2002; defined as a plane taking off or landing.2015 Indicative noise contour if planes were taking off and landing on both of Heathrow's runways. 540,000 ATMs a year.2020 A projection showing three runways in action with 702,000 ATMs a year. Source: Department for Transport
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