13 October 2009

Clarification on Heathrow expansion demanded

Airports operator BAA should clarify its position on a planned third runway at Heathrow, a leading travel agency boss has demanded.

The call from The Co-operative Travel managing director Mike Greenacre came after a Sunday newspaper article suggested that the airport operator had "bowed to opposition" over the expansion.

The Sunday Times report claimed that "senior BAA figures have told the Tories that the company will cease to fight for the third runway if they form the next government".

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers is quoted as saying: "Last week BAA conveyed to us … that it will not be submitting a planning application before the election."

Greenacre said: "A look at BAA’s website reveals that the third runway seems to have slipped off the airport expansion agenda, but it is vital that we get an official reaction from BAA.

"We have for some time advocated any expansion be accommodated at regional airports, and that this - coupled with technological progress to reduce emissions - would allow for moderate growth, of one-two per cent per year, within current emission targets.

"If we don’t manage aviation growth within its current emissions levels we will have virtually no chance of meeting the UK’s greenhouse gas targets.

"Whichever government is in power after the next election, the next five years will be critical in determining whether we all face up to dealing with climate change, emissions and other areas of sustainable and responsible tourism.

"I believe that the environmental issues that we face today are emerging as the single most important that the travel industry as we know it has ever faced - and the conclusions that we arrive at in the months and years ahead will have far-reaching consequences."

by Phil Davies