A report by the Transport Select Committee has highlighted a number of additional safeguards that are needed to mitigate the social, environmental and health impacts that could arise from Heathrow Airport's multi-billion pound expansion programme. These issues include;
• Air quality
• Surface access
• Regional connectivity
• Scheme costs and airport charges
• Noise
• Community impacts and compensation
• Resource and waste management
In addition, MPs also identified associated policy measures that were required if expansion at Heathrow was to be delivered effectively;
• policy on airspace change
• wider Government policies on air quality, noise and surface access improvements
• effective use of existing airport capacity
Approval of the Airports NPS would pave the way for the planning process to move onto detailed work around scheme design, in effect granting outline planning permission for the Government’s preferred £14bn Northwest runway scheme.
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However, Committee Chair Lilian Greenwood MP said at present, the draft NPS "does not guarantee that passengers will be protected from the cost risks associated with the scheme".
She added the Committee's recommendations "improve the NPS and reduce the chance of a successful legal challenge".
"The Secretary of State must set out how airport charges will be held down," Ms Greenwood said.
"During our inquiry, we heard how communities might be affected. Thousands of people across London could be exposed to worse levels of noise, air quality and traffic congestion - there must be sufficient measures to protect or compensate them.
"The Government and Heathrow have made efforts to mitigate these significant impacts, but safeguards on air quality, surface access, connectivity, costs and charges and noise should be strengthened. As a matter of urgency, we also want to see how the Government plans to deliver the necessary airspace change.
"This must all be done before a final NPS is tabled for approval by both Houses of Parliament."
Neil Carberry, CBI Managing Director for Infrastructure and People, said improving the UK's infrastructure has to be "at the heart" of the UK's industrial strategy.
"With the new global links that it will bring, and the opportunity to unlock jobs right across the UK, getting on with building the third runway at Heathrow is a vital part of this equation," he said.
"It's now critical that the National Policy Statement is finalised and approved by Parliament by the summer to allow construction to begin by 2020, and a new runway to be operational before 2030. This will be crucial if we want to set ourselves up for success and be an outward-looking, trading nation, post-Brexit.
"It is important that this project forms part of a long-term aviation framework for the whole of the UK."
(LM)
