Passed : The new runway at Heathrow !

Controversial plans to build a third runway at Heathrow. Airport have been approved by the Government.



Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced backing for the £9bn expansion.

He said he also saw a "strong case" for a new high speed rail hub at
Heathrow and had also created a new company to explore the creation of
a high-speed line between London and Scotland.

Mr Hoon said a new runway at Heathrow was "the best way to maximise efficiency" at an expanded airport.

Expansion was vital to economic growth but was dependant on meeting noise and air quality limits, he said.

Mr Hoon said that initially the number of flights allowed to use the
new runway would be limited to half the original proposal and
incentives put in place for the use of cleaner and quieter aircraft.

But Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers told MPs: "This is a bleak day for our environment.

"It will inflict devastating damage to the environment and quality of life."

Earlier, Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended the decision, saying:
"It is always our desire to make sure that we protect the economic
future of the country while at the same time meeting the very tough
environmental conditions that we have set ourselves for noise and
pollution and for climate change."


Is this the right move ?

Anything that makes travel quicker/easier/cheaper has to be a good thing... but unless T6 massively increases the passenger handling capacity at LHR, and there's an increase in both routes and frequency of routes then I can't say this plan is the right one.

The airport 'experience' is terrible at the moment, from crappy airline policies on ticketing and luggage, to cattle herding-like and intrusive pointless security procedures to the overpriced monopolies of the retail outlets.

I hear LGW is up for sale, what better way for the States of Guernsey/Jersey to control our air-links than to buy it??

Please do not tell our Chief Minister that !!

Why not? I think it's a good idea... obviously I need to flesh-out the details and run the figures, but why not in principle?

I don,t know if anyone has told you but we have a black-hole due to the 0/10 option , the States are trying to cut expenditure not increase it in huge proportions . The only result in over expenditure is more direct and indirect taxes on the people who can ill afford it some i might add are pushed to the limits now.

Digger wrote:I don,t know if anyone has told you but we have a black-hole due to the 0/10 option , the States are trying to cut expenditure not increase it in huge proportions . The only result in over expenditure is more direct and indirect taxes on the people who can ill afford it some i might add are pushed to the limits now.

No worries, we buy it, then charge £8 for a coffee and £5 for a bottle of water; it'll pay for itself... probably.

We do that now!!