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Relief as Gatwick avoids new runway
8:33am Friday 15th December 2006
Campaigners against a second runway at Gatwick are relieved it has been left off plans for airport expansion.
The Government yesterday announced its schedule for airport growth in the UK until 2015.
It made no mention of expanding Gatwick in the near future but concentrated on new runways at Stansted and Heathrow.
Brendon Sewill, chairman of Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, said there was still a possibility a second runway would be built after 2019. He said: "We are going to have to look at this study carefully to see its full implications."
He added: "From a local point of view, it is obviously a great relief for people living around Gatwick but from a national point of view, we are appalled the Government is committed to pressing ahead with these new runways at Heathrow and Stansted.
"We all stand together in wanting to see this huge expansion of airports stopped."
Yesterday's announcement confirms what the Department for Transport published in its Aviation White Paper in 2003.
It has been heavily criticised by environmentalists, who said it went against the Government's own calls for greener air travel and cuts in carbon emissions.
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander told MPs the Government was committed to a new runway at Stansted and a third short runway at Heathrow.
A new runway will be built at Stansted by 2011-12 depending on planning approval.
Heathrow will get a third runway by the middle of the next decade if it can meet environmental criteria. If it cannot meet the requirements, the Government will press ahead with a second runway at Gatwick.
There is a legal agreement preventing another runway being built at Gatwick before 2019.
Meanwhile, operator BAA Gatwick is consulting with councils, residents and community groups in the Gatwick area to prepare for a second runway.
The Office of Fair Trading this week said it was recommending the Competition Commission hold a full inquiry into airport ownership - a move threatening BAA's ownership of Gatwick.
Any break-up of the BAA monopoly could affect the expansion plans at its airports.
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In this section
- New runway 'will be bad for Sussex'
- Fight against new Gatwick runway is stepped up
- Gatwick plans 'crazy'
- August 1, 2006: Airport expansion looking less likely
- Gatwick runway warning
- MP attacks runway plan
- No new runway for gatwick - for now
- No new runway for gatwick - for now
- Stanstead growth bid leaves Gatwick trailing
- December 2003: MP attacks runway plan
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