No New Runway at Heathrow - BBC/Times

[Localiser Green]

Air pollution laws will prevent a new runway being built at Heathrow for at least another decade

Accoring to the The Times: BBC News Online Article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3242669.stm)

[Pax Vobiscum]

and a link to The Times - Heathrow to lose battle for new runway (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-880966,00.html)

[akerosid]

Disappointing if true, but the report goes on to state that the main obstacle is pollution. If BAA can be required to get this sorted out in a certain timeframe, LHR could still be in the running. Given that the three major European competitors have all got (or are getting) new runways, I really don't think the UK government will want to block this. If necessary, the approval for the runway can go ahead, subject to meeting the required pollution deadline, even if this isn't achieved until 2010.

I wonder if this is a wake up call to the interested parties and that we'll now see all parties lobbying like mad, leading up to the decision being made.

[PAXboy]

It'll be STN and LHR will wait until next time.

Even though Labour are going to win the next general election, this is an easy a one for the party managers to pick up on. Labour will not expand Heathrow.

If I'm right, this means that the airport will continue to slide in popularity stakes, with connecting trans-atlantic pax. I would argue that the slide has been going on for nearly a decade anyway and that adding the extra runway is already too late. That's due to the time lag in decision, public enquiry and construction.

[crewrest]

So with the exception of the people who work there, LHR will remain a pathetic hole.

[Blacksheep]

Heathrow is one of the things that makes one ashamed to be British. :(

The only thing that could fix it would be a nuclear strike...

**************************
Through difficulties to the cinema

[BEagle]

Heathrow is a truly dreadful place. The absurd time it takes to get from the Long Term car park to T2 - traffic jams inside the airport, the squalor of T2 arrivals...

BEagle Towers is mid-way between LHR and BHX - so I gave BHX a try on Monday as there was yet another strike at Thiefrow. Easy journey - the first 40 miles on nice fast country roads, the last 20 or so from the A429 on the tatty M40/M42. Parking is easier and cheaper, BHX T1 is far nicer than LHR T2 - it'll take a lot to drag me back to the expensive environment of London Airport!

[Pax Vobiscum]

Hush BEagle, we don't want everyone to know!

Seriously, though I'm only 30 mins from LHR (off-peak) via M40/M25 and an hour from BHX, I've been using the latter (when I can fly direct to destination) for over 10 years.

While I can get pretty much everywhere I need to go in Europe direct from BHX, I must admit you do sacrifice flight frequency, so rushing to get the last one after an extended working day does become more nerve-wracking. On the other hand, delays in the stacks on inbound evening flights are much less frequent and the land journey times are much more predictable.

[BEagle]

PV - oops!

No worrying about the traffic jams around Oxford, no wondering whether to risk the M40/M25 or nip down the A404M to the M4, no £13.50 per day in the Long Term car park, no endless trips in the airport bus to the squalor of the central area, no walking miles and miles in the terminal....

The only drawback was that on last night's trip I was somewhat 'cosy' in a CRJ 700, whereas to LHR it's usually an Airbus - if really lucky, an A300-600 and not a narrow-body! I see my trip next week from BHX is on a B737 - although last Monday (same airline, same route, same time) it was an A320..?? Slightly longer trip time means that you get a hot meal as well.

[answer=42]

The National consultation document on 'Future development of air travel in the UK: South East' (Feb 2003 edition) noted concerning Heathrow (p27):

There are mandatory EU limits on various air pollutants. We have assessed impacts of particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). No exceedences of PM10 limits were identified. The limits relating to nitrogen dioxide have to be achieved by 2010.
We estimate that by 2015 (one of the years we have used for appraising airport impacts), some 35,000 people could be exposed to an exceedence of the annual average EU limit for nitrogen dioxide if a third runway was built. Assuming determined action by the aviation industry to reduce harmful emissions, for example through faster improvements in engine technology, we predict this figure could drop to about 5,000 people. The Government could only decide in favour of a third runway at Heathrow if there was a robust strategy for ensuring that the UK could meet its international obligations.

If 'The Times' does indeed have some new news, then it could be that the government reckons that a 'robust strategy' for pollution reduction does not yet exist.

My conclusion: next runway arriving at Stansted. Following runway at Heathrow then contingent on measured pollution decrease which will in effect be up to BAA and BA to push for. Politicians will go for a 2-runway strategy so the question does not come back on their desk for 15 years.

[larry walker]

Heathrow needs a third runway quickly, (within the next 5-10 years) to enable it to retain it's position as the major European international airport. On second thoughts this should have been planned and developed years ago and operational now.

It is very nice to see earlier in the thread praise for my local airport BHX.

BHX is currently enjoying rapid growth; principally in the domestic,
European and Asian markets. A runway extension is desperately required to enable the airport to reach its full potential.

BHX is centrally located, has excellent road and rail links and has the busiest exhibition centre in Europe (the NEC) as a neighbour.

In closing it is interesting to speculate whether BHX will have a runway extension, and a second runway before Heathrow acquires its new runway.

[Groundbased]

I live midway between BHX and Heathrow. Earlier this year I decided never to use LHR again. Much less stressful using BHX. I also find that I have a lot of choice because I can be in Bristol or Cardiff for holiday flights in around an hour.

Why put yourself through it?

[Sir George Cayley]

Amazing isn't it that the Government still say that Heathrow is the passengers airport of choice.

I've never met one yet

Sir George Cayley