Reading West MP Martin Salter, who is also Labours Vice Chair for the Environment, has joined the growing trend of MPs and Ministers who are urging the government to drop plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Mr. Salter, who used to work as a cargo handler and union shop steward at the airport, has added his name to a Commons Motion calling for a rethink on the runway and highlighting the potential increases in noise, pollution, and carbon dioxide emissions that would occur. Over 100 MP’s have signed the EDM 2344 (see below).

Mr Salter has also been active in organising delegations of Labour MP’s to meet Ministers on the issue.

He said:

“Whilst I have no doubt that Heathrow is vital for the local economy I have reached the conclusion that the case for a third runway at this time is fundamentally flawed on three counts. Firstly, the current surface access to Heathrow, particularly from the west, is extremely poor and needs sorting out before any increase in captivity takes place. We know from the studies undertaken by the Thames Valley Economic Partnership that the major corporate companies in the area are spending over £15 million a year on taxes to Heathrow because of a lack of rail services from the west. Goodness knows what the traffic congestion would be like if even more flights were to be taken from Heathrow without addressing this very real problem. Secondly, I believe there should be a limit on the number of short haul flights taken from Heathrow in order to free up long haul slots and business flights which are far more important for the economy. Of the 473,000 flights from Heathrow around 200,000 are either short haul or to destinations easily reachable by train. There is a strong argument for a better rather then a bigger Heathrow. Thirdly, I am very worried about both the impact of local residents living under the flight paths and the effect on the environment of increasing flights by another 150,000 a year. We have just passed the world’s first legally binding Climate Change Bill and there is a real danger that our excellent mark to cut the carbon emissions which are causing potentially catastrophic climate change could be undone by this one single decision. The Government seems to be in listening mode on this issue and I will do all that I can in the coming weeks to press for a rethink on the runway”.

EDM 2344 - GOVERNMENT POLICY ON THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW AIRPORT

That this House urges the Government to rethink its plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport and to give full consideration to alternative solutions; regrets the Government’s heavy reliance on data supplied by the BAA in assessing the case for expansion and notes the likely forthcoming break up of BAA’s ownership of three of London’s airports following the investigation by the Competition Committee; believes that the consultation paper Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport was deeply flawed, as it paid insufficient regard to the costs of air and noise pollution in the surrounding areas and the commitment to curb carbon dioxide emissions to tackle climate change; regrets the fact that provisions to improve high speed rail lines from Heathrow to major cities have not been fully explored, along with the potential of other UK airports to handle more long haul flights; and urges the Government to initiate a consultation on a new national planning policy statement on the theme of airports and high speed rail.