Heathrow meeting call to new Transport Secretary

5.58.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 14th Jun 2009

AN urgent meeting is being called for with Lord Adonis, the new Secretary of State for Transport, by the 2M group of Councils, to stress the environmental dangers of allowing Heathrow Airport to expand.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon's resignation provides an opportunity for the Government to rethink its policy towards Heathrow expansion, the 2M Group said this week. Cllr Serge Lourie, Leader of Richmond Council, speaking on behalf of 2M, said: "All the local councils, residents organisations, environmental groups and business leaders who lined up to tell Geoff Hoon he was wrong about building a new airport the size of Gatwick at Heathrow will welcome his going. Lord Adonis now has the chance to draw a line under the Hoon era and take a long, hard look at just how a third runway squares with the Government's key policies on climate change.

"We know Lord Adonis is enthusiastic about high speed rail, but we have to get him to see that simply building a fast line to Heathrow will only increase demand for air travel, when we should be putting in place a national network that provides real alternatives to short haul flights. We will be writing to Lord Adonis and seeking an early meeting. It would be a tragedy if a new transport secretary simply meant business as usual. Now is the time to reassess the environmental and economic case for a third runway and compare this against the benefits from investment in a high speed rail network linking England and Scotland."

The 2M Group is an all-party alliance of 24 local authorities concerned at the environmental impact of Heathrow expansion on their communities. The group represents more than five million people.

A core group of 2M councils is currently seeking judicial review of the Government's decision to expand Heathrow. The case is backed by the Mayor of London, Transport for London and environmental groups including Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund and the Campaign for Protection of Rural England.

2M's membership comprises: the London Boroughs of Brent, Camden, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond-upon-Thames, Sutton, Southwark and Wandsworth; the boroughs of Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wycombe; and South Bucks District Council

Related Link:

• UK air passenger numbers slump as recession bites: the number of people using British airports falls 13 % [Guardian, Jun 16].