Labour sets tests for Heathrow expansion

AIRPORTS

Labour has announced its opposition to Heathrow Airport  expansion but will give its MPs a free vote next week on the Government’s Airports National Policy Statement (NPS), which backs a third runway. 

Following a shadow cabinet meeting this week, Labour said the expansion failed the party’s four tests:

• Is there robust and convincing evidence that the required increased aviation capacity will be delivered?

• Can the expansion go hand-in-hand with efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from aviation and meet our legal climate change obligations? 

• Have local noise and environmental impacts been adequately considered and will they be managed and minimised? 

• Will the benefits of expansion be felt in every corner of the country, not just the South East of England?

The NPS, published earlier this month (LTT 08 Jun), sets mode shift targets for the airport. It must achieve a public transport, walking and cycling mode share for passengers of at least 50 per cent by 2030, and at least 55 per cent by 2040. Staff car trips must be cut by 25 per cent by 2030 and 50 per cent by 2040 against a 2013 baseline. 

Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has said a new runway can be delivered by 2026 but a  review of the delivery schedule commissioned by the DfT raises doubts. Says Costain/SYSTRA: “There is a reasonable degree of confidence that an operational runway can be delivered by 2026 but HAL’s ability to deliver by this date depends on certain planning, construction and operational requirements being met and is subject to ... risks.

“There is a high degree of confidence that an operational runway meeting the requirements of the revised draft Airports NPS can be delivered by 2030.”