Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The expansion of Heathrow Airport is expected to be approved by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday, following years of debate. Alongside confirmation of the expansion of other London airports including Gatwick and Luton, it is likely to be met with strong opposition from those arguing it will increase air travel, and make it harder for the UK to meet its climate change commitments. However, Rachel Reeves argues that “sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand”.
Heathrow, the busiest airport in the UK, serving over 80 million travellers annually with four passenger terminals and two runways, would require demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers, and rerouting the M25 motorway between junctions 14 and 15 through a tunnel under the new runway. The number of flights currently capped at 480,000 annually could increase to 720,000. The airport has said that it would eventually be able to serve up to 140 million passengers yearly.
The costs of expansion will be met by charging airlines for use of the larger airport. The initial cost estimate of £14bn will need to be revised after years of wrangling over the original plans. Even with government backing, the formal planning process could take up to two years, and after all the opposition which will inevitably arise, construction itself will probably take another six or seven years.
Several members of the current government – including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – voted against a Heathrow expansion when in opposition. But hints suggest that the government might back a third runway. London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s office said he has “a long-standing opposition to airport expansion”, because of the impact on air quality and noise. But Heathrow’s boss, Thomas Woldbye, said in December he was waiting for a “clear steer” from the government before he could take the plans forward.
Aviation is one source of damaging emissions that can contribute to climate change, and the industry is under pressure to find ways to reduce its impact. Reeves pointed to progress on creating sustainable fuels and electric planes. A third runway at Heathrow would also mean “that instead of circling London, flights can land”, she added, meaning less fuel is used. But growing demand for air travel means it is unclear whether those technologies will be enough to make up for the increased demand. Heathrow will have to prove that its plan meets the government’s net-zero by 2050 targets in its planning application
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.