Heathrow Expansion Plans Bad For The Environment And Local People - Kramer

1.54.21pm GMT Thu 22nd Nov 2007

Commenting on government plans announced today to further expand Heathrow airport, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Susan Kramer MP said:

"Given the need to greatly reduce carbon emissions, the last thing that ministers should be doing is doubling the capacity of a major airport. These plans will be even worse for the environment and local people than we originally thought. The new runway is longer than originally planned, and will allow for many more large continental flights.

The Government's own recent ANASE* study highlighted that the louder the airport noise gets, the more it disrupts peoples lives. The current noise limits don't bear any relation to the impact on those living nearby. Trying to stick to these arbitrary limits really misses the point. Noise levels around Heathrow have dropped by a third following the demise of Concorde. BAA could get away with having 40 more flights an hour, and still be inside its noise limits."

• = Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/Anase/