Residents & MP Celebrate Significant Victory To Prevent Heathrow Expansion
MP says "the Government must drop their support for a third runway"
Campaigners won a High Court battle for further consultation into plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Although the decision does not rule out a new runway, it calls for a review of all the relevant policy issues, including the impact of climate change policy.
The decision made it clear that the Government's approval of the runway was flawed by conspicuously unfair public consultations and the expansion decision was at odds with the UK's overall climate change targets.
The Department for Transport had previously said they would robustly defend the plan however Labour's flagship transport policy is in complete disarray and now if the Government wants to pursue its plans for Heathrow expansion it must go back to square one and reconsider the entire case for the runway.
Putney MP Justine Greening who has led the campaign locally against the expansion attended the High Court decision with Councils, green groups and other local protestors to witness the decision which is a damning indictment of the Government’s misguided support for a third runway.
Justine said: “I am absolutely delighted for the people of Putney who live under the flight path and already suffer from massive noise and disruption caused by Heathrow. I am pleased that we have been able to help bring about this victory after a long and hard-fought battle with ministers and BAA”
“This is a clear message that the Government must drop their support for a third runway, and despite this Labour has made it clear that they still want to continue with the expansion. We now have a clear choice at the general election between five more years of Gordon Brown and his exhausted Labour Government or a change with the Conservatives who will stop this runway from being built.”
March 29, 2010