Take-off agreed for Heathrow’s third runway
On 5th June Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling MP announced that the government is giving the go-ahead for a third runway at Heathrow airport.
Speaking to parliament, Grayling pointed out: “Taking such a decision is never easy. This issue has been debated for half a century. My department has met with local residents and fully understands their strength of feeling, but this is a decision taken in the national interest and based on detailed evidence.”
The north-west runway scheme put forward by Heathrow has been selected by government and the target date for delivery is 2026. Also mentioned were improvements to the Piccadilly line and new links to Heathrow through Crossrail.
Perhaps with one eye to the latest reports on poor air quality around the capital, Grayling also said: “We will only grant development consent if we are satisfied that a new runway would not impact the UK’s compliance with air quality obligations. Advances in technology also mean new planes are cleaner, greener and quieter than the ones they are replacing.”
Grayling also highlighted the Industrial Strategy, saying that development of the airport supports its goals and would also help with “creating tens of thousands of local jobs and apprenticeships, and boosting our economy for future generations.”
The next stage will be for Heathrow to develop detailed plans for further consultation and a public examination by the independent planning inspectorate before voting by Parliament
