Hilary Benn reveals cabinet split over Heathrow expansion (third Runway)

After months of speculation environment secretary Hilary Benn has confirmed that there are indeed deep splits within the cabinet over whether or not to proceed with plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

In an interview with The Sunday Times yesterday, Benn became the first minister to break ranks and openly voice concerns over the proposed expansion of the airport and its likely contribution to air and noise pollution.

Warning that the airport was already in breach of EU rules governing air pollution, Benn said that the government had to ensure that any expansion would not lead to sustained breaches or air and noise pollution standards.

Heathrow has an exemption, or "derogation", from current EU air pollution standards that runs up until 2015.

Benn told the paper that the government has to "honour that commitment" warning that failure to do so could see embarrassing legal action taken against the EU. "You are then in trouble with the commission, you get infraction proceedings and then off you go – which is not something we can contemplate," he said.

The government's official study on the impact of a third runway said that improvements in aircraft design meant that even if the airport does deliver the planned increase in flights from 480,000 to 700,000 a year the EU standards can be met.

Meanwhile, airport operator BAA has said it will curb the number of flights from the expanded airport if an independent watchdog deems that the airport is breaking the rules.

However, green groups have claimed that the official government pollution projections are based on aircraft designs that do not yet exist, while the government's own watchdog, the Environment Agency, has expressed concerns that a third runway would likely result in the rules being breached.

Benn's comments come just weeks after transport secretary Geoff Hoon announced that he was delaying the final decision on the plans until next month. Officially Hoon said that the delay was necessary to give the government more time to assess the 70,000 responses it received to the most recent consultation process, but reports claimed it was forced by the depth of the divisions within the cabinet over the issue.

The Sunday Times reported that while Benn is the first minister to go on record with his concerns over the expansion of the airport several other senior cabinet figures are also opposed to the plans.

Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband is said to be concerned that a third runway would make it harder for the government to meets its new legally binding emission targets and retain its reputation as a leader in the fight against climate change.

His fears are thought to be shared by his brother, the foreign secretary David Miliband, and universities secretary John Denham, while Commons leader Harriet Harman is said to be worried the decision will damage Labour's electoral chances in south and west London, particularly given the Conservatives have said they will oppose the plans.

However, Hoon is known to be in favour of the third runway and has reportedly secured support from business secretary Peter Mandelson. The prime minister Gordon Brown is also thought to be in favour of a third runway on economic grounds.

Source: Bloomberg

Heathrow: Third runway opponents angry at decision delay

Environmental activists have vowed to increase action against British airports after Monday’s security breach at Stansted Airport, citing Heathrow Airport as their next target. Plane Stupid, the group behind the disruption at Stansted, said it intends to repeat the action at Heathrow, where plans are under consideration to build a third runway. Transport secretary Geoff Hoon will announce next month whether the proposed runway will go ahead.

"There are plans [to repeat the protest at Heathrow], absolutely," said Leyla Deen, a spokeswoman for Plane Stupid in an interview with The Guardian. "We intend to continue to directly challenge airport expansion. We have only seven years to begin to get our carbon emissions down in Britain, and our carbon emissions are still going up. This is the only responsible thing to do."

More than 50 demonstrators from the group cut through fencing of Stansted in the early hours of Monday morning, in a protest against plans to build a second runway. The airport was forced to close for five hours, resulting in tens of thousands of passengers stranded as dozens of flights were cancelled and many others seriously delayed.

The protesters used bolt-cutters to break through a perimeter fence at 3.15am and set up their protest camp. They chained and bolted themselves to security fencing they brought in with them. It took police hours to cut them free and it was not until 8.30am - almost five hours after the protest had started - that the airport was able to resume flights. Officers arrested 57 activists and took them away in an airport shuttle bus.



Ryanair cancelled 52 flights in and out of the airport. In a statement it called for an investigation “as to why the BAA Stansted security has once again failed to keep Stansted secure and open to the travelling public”. Ryanair went on: “It is unacceptable that the travel plans of thousands of passengers have been disrupted because BAA Stansted security have failed to remove a number of protesters.”

Plane Stupid issued a statement saying the disruption had stopped “the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere”. The lobby group said aviation was the fastest growing source of emissions and already contributed to at least 13 per cent of the UK’s carbon budget.

In October the government gave the go ahead for construction of a second runway at Stansted. Last month, another organisation, Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE), launched a High Court appeal against the decision. SSE said the Government was disregarding the climate change and noise impacts of the expansion at the Essex airport. Airport officials said there would be a review of airport security but also defended the quick action taken. “We do not run a fortress, we run an airport. Security staff and police intercepted the protesters and no-one got on to the runway,” a spokesman said.

A statement from the airport added: “We are happy to engage in serious debates on airport expansion, and we respect people's right to protest within the bonds of the law. However, any unlawful or irresponsible behaviour aimed at disrupting the smooth operation of the airport is unacceptable. “People should engage in the relevant independent planning inquiries in an open, honest and safe way. We will, of course, investigate this incident and where there are lessons to learn we will do so.”

Source: France Press

Britain delays decision on Heathrow expansion

Britain says it has delayed its decision on whether to build a third runway at London's Heathrow airport.

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon says the decision will be made in January instead of this month as had been planned.

Airports operator BAA says Heathrow needs an extra runway by 2020 to cope with increased demand. Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport.

Campaigners have opposed the plan, saying expansion will increase noise pollution and harm the environment.

Some officials favor building a new airport rather than expanding Heathrow. London Mayor Boris Johnson has suggested a new site in the Thames River estuary, east of London.

Hoon said Thursday he will consider the issue further before making a decision on the runway.

Source: Associated press