The 2M Group of local authorities opposed to expansion at Heathrow have had an open letter published in The Times.
The 2M Group, which includes Wandsworth, Hounslow and Hillingdon Councils among others say in their letter that the basis of a 2010 High Court ruling against a third Heathrow runway is just as strong today as it was then. They claim that nothing has been done to address the noise, air quality and surface access concerns associated with Heathrow expansion.
They maintain that proponents of a third runway “still have no answers to the environmental constraints that grounded the third runway”, and that mixed mode – using both existing runways simultaneously to allow more flights – would is “not a credible option” as it would make air quality worse in a location that, they say, is already recording NO2 levels above EU limits.
This comes in the face of increasing demands from business for a rapid resolution to London’s aviation capacity constraints, and a cooling of interest in the building of a new airport in the Thames Estuary.
Proponents of expansion at Heathrow argue that maintaining Heathrow’s status as our key international hub airport is the most effective way to grow capacity in both cost and speed terms, and that any move which weakens Heathrow’s status would put one in five West London jobs at risk.
A government review on aviation capacity is due in the autumn, but has already been delayed twice.
