Well, as if not many of us could guess the result, the Davis Commission has released its report today (Warning: Heavy Reading) on the need of a new runway in the South East of England, which recommended a 3rd runway should be built at London Heathrow Airport.
Heathrow Airport at Takeoff, Image – Economy Class and Beyond
So you think that’s it – get the diggers in and lets get building.
Not so fast.
Sadly, the Davis Commission’s report is is a recommendation. Nothing more, nothing less.
Her Majesty’s Government is to make its decision during the year – with minimal comment at the moment, stating:
“If you make some precipitate decision or rule out one particular option you will actually make the decision you would like to make impossible to achieve because of judicial review,”
However, the addition of a 3rd runway at Heathrow will be filled with political pitfalls – least of all from the Prime Minister David Cameron who promised no 3rd runway would be built in 2009.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of London/MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip – Boris Johnson has gone on the record, predicting that the runway won’t be built, and Zac Goldsmith criticizing the report being bad for the environment and bad for his constituency.
Five constituencies around Heathrow – all Conservative held aren’t in favour of it.
Local residents aren’t too happy either, with the runway possibly dividing villages and communities.
However, there are restrictions if the new runway arrives – in the form of:
- Ban of night flights from 11:30pm to 6:00am.
- A noise envelop to control the noise pollution.
- Compensation of lost property to the market value +25%
- A Fourth runway should be ruled out.
Meanwhile, Gatwick Airport is still a viable option with the commission not ruling it out.
The Davis Commission may have delivered its report and its recommendations – the next decision what to do will be in the hands of the Government and the infighting in the cabinet.
This has got legs to run… and I’ll be amazed if the diggers move in in 5 years time – let alone 10.
Sadly, the Government has a choice – it can either bury its head in the sand and go la-la-la as it watches more aviation traffic leave the UK – or to grasp the nettle and get on with it with the results of the Davis Commission.
We’ll find out if this government has the balls to go through with this expansion… or if they prefer kicking this down the road…
…. like it did last time.
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