Caroline Russell, Green Party Member of the London Assembly, has warned that the concessions offered by Heathrow airport, including a pledge not to add new capacity unless it can do so without delaying UK compliance with EU air quality limits, would leave the runway capacity unused.
Caroline commented,
“An extra runway will inevitably create traffic chaos, breach air pollution limits and accelerate climate change. Their concessions are an admission that they either want to build a white elephant that won’t be used or trash our environment.
“Expanding capacity at Heathrow by this much would breach our climate change targets, unless even bigger taxes were levied on flights to stop people using all of it. The Government should drop its plans for airport expansion and invest in sustainable transport options to underpin real prosperity for the UK.”