I remain opposed to a new runway at Heathrow airport because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets.
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Usual lack of vision from KS & RR, 3rd runway at HR not again. How about a new UK airport in the Midlands with high speed rail links - integrated transport
Read it again. He is saying that it would be better to have a new airport in the Midlands rather than a runway in
London. It would be nothing to do with Khan. I agree with him It is more central and London seems to get everything the rest of the country is left out.
O'Hare in Chicago has eight major runways & those issues you mention have not materialized there. That airport continues with it's revitalization /modernization with additional terminals planned for the near future.
I have mixed feelings because obviously we have a climate crisis but arguably we need to increase capacity for Heathrow to stop planes burning fuel in a queue to land. Heathrow has a reputation for delays to incoming flights which only gets worse with bad weather or other problems.
It won't make any difference to the number of planes queuing to land, which in any case could be better managed in ways that don't require an extra runway.
With respect you are wrong here. The UK’s aviation industry needs expansion at LHR to compete with CDG, AMS, FRA let alone mega hubs like Istanbul and Dubai outside the EU
5 persons were told by someone without evidence that a pot of gold is located at the bottom of a canyon. They go to the cliff, and 4 of them jump to their obvious demise, with hopes to get richer for a short period of time. One of them decides it's stupid.
Your advice? "Compete with them". 🙃🙃
There is no prospect of decarbonising aviation, so we need to reduce the number of flights. Expansion of capacity is incompatible with our climate targets.
There are consequences for failing to decarbonise.
Why exactly do we need to compete with airports in other countries? Why exactly does the aviation industry need to expand at all? This is 'line go up' tail wagging the dog at huge environmental expense
The *theory* is greater connectivity boosts business - if you can easily fly to Cairo, it's easier for British businesses to make sales pitches to Egyptian Customers.
However that theory doesn't extend to fixing St Pancras and unlocking the dozen-planes-an hour of blocked Eurostar capacity.
Maybe British businesses could learn about websites, emails and video meetings so they can be more productive and competitive instead of doing business like it's still the 1970s and making a salesperson spend half their working life sitting in a metal tube in the sky unable to talk to any prospects
Agreed, Heathrow is the worst possible airport to expand. It’s too built up in that area! Noise pollution is already bad enough in places like Hounslow and the space required for a 3rd runway would be highly destructive.Makes more sense to expand an airport like Stansted or Luton where there’s space
Makes even more sense for the government to not cave to the deranged demands of the aviation industry and instead actually take responsibility for halting the growth in climate destroying emissions
I'd prefer a nationwide high speed rail network that could link into the continent's system myself. Heathrow expansion is very legitimate to oppose for many reasons. Just visiting Hounslow and the constant noise from the planes is unbearable, a 3rd runway will flatten Harmondsworth too.
It's worth looking at how many passengers that go through Heathrow are transfer passengers, using it as a hub rather than getting on or off in the locality. I can understand from places that don't have major airports (but what about rail?!?) but some will be unnecessary.
Thank you I hope the regional mayors @andyburnham.bsky.social etc will unite against this ludicrous proposal we desperately need the rail investment in Crewe and other areas to tackle the inequalities that plague our country
I absolutely admire Mr Khan, showing such bravery on this, especially as Starmer throws out anyone who opposes him. No one else seems to care about anything but “progress ‘. Best mayor ever
The severe impacts of aircraft noise on human health and child development are well documented and peer reviewed.
Thank you for taking a stand for liveable cities.
Heathrow will be the fight that determines the outcome for cities plagued by irresponsible airport development everywhere.
The money MUST instead be spent on flood defense and on the subject of airlines,
H5N1 is going to spread like wildfire this year, this is the time to prevent a scramble for PPE
I totally agree with you.
What a shame that the Labour government have turned out as they have. True blue. No concerns about either climate change or biodiversity- she even said she doesn’t care about bats or newts.
Sorry, I won’t vote Labour again.
GOOD, thank you for standing for the future of nature. Please tell @teamlabouruk.bsky.social that we need to invest in: buses, trains & NOT more planes one of the the most polluting industries on the planet. We need cheaper public services so we can afford to catch a train, or get on a bus.
Calling yourself at democracy cheerleader while saying londoners should be blighted with jet fumes and unending noise pollution against their will, comedy gold.
Absolutely ridiculous. This is why there's a lack of growth in the British economy - infrastructure is needed, yet we have had years of delay and over-cost. Why not use the extra income that will result to invest in sustainable aviation fuel? There's more than one way to meet climate targets.
It'll be 15-20yrs before the first plane takes off from the new runway. Research in sustainable fuel is gathering pace and will reduce emissions by up to 80%.
Don't be part of the anti-growth coalition.
Ok - so instead of just opposing what is yet another (proposed) investment in the South East of the country - how about you call out the imbalance and let us have the runway somewhere North of Watford?
Look at a 12th century account and people are saying much the same - apart from the mobile phone bit.
All are much exaggerated. A lot of people live here and the odd criminal is a statistical certainty.
'Builders not blockers' sounds eerily like Liz Truss 'anti growth coalition'
'Sustainable clean air fuel' sounds like clean coal.
There is an obvious way to grow the economy and that is selling more by rejoining the Single European Market, Britain built that. Rejoining backs builders not blockers.
Agree on all counts. We are bothered by the flights from City Airport if wind forces flights our way. We are miles away, can’t imagine living near Heathrow, a living hell.
I will scrutinise carefully any new proposals that now come forward from Heathrow, including the impact it will have on people living in the area and the huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure.
Despite the progress that's been made in the aviation sector to make it more sustainable, I’m simply not convinced that you can have hundreds of thousands of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.
It's not "just" environment + public transport infrastructure. It'll sterilise vast areas for housing. It's the health + social infrastructure, the urban disconnection, the human displacement, the additional servicing, traffic, parking, the light, the run-off, power, sewage schools, policing...
Thank you for sticking to your principles. I can't imagine what it's already like for ppl living near airports, with the noise and breathing in pollution. Why should the 1% get their endless flights at our expense? Absolutely fed up with the current Labour Government already.
Ridiculous idea! The surrounding area is so built up it will be dangerous to build another runway. There’s a reason why one hasn’t been built since the 1940’s. Surely some of the freight/cargo can go to another airport before distribution? #notoheathrowhub
Currently, the number of flights at LHR is capped at 480,000 a year, though with the new runway could go up to 720,000 – or nearly 2,000 a day on average.
Who needs a fag packet when google is right there?
650 flights per day per runway currently at Heathrow. 650 x 365 days a year = 237,250 extra flights a year when a new runway is added. Hence ‘hundreds of thousands of extra flights’. Perfectly reasonable maths/estimate.
You can't, you're quite right. "Sustainable Aviation Fuel" is a huge con - it pollutes just as much as the usual stuff does, they just apply an accounting fix to it to falsely claim sustainability.
London needs HS2 in full, Crossrail 2, West London Orbital, DLR to Thamesmead and Bakerloo Line Extension to boost growth yet we’re being handed Third Runway at Heathrow and Lower Thames Crossing. This is not going to work.
Expanding capacity for aviation is bonkers.
This is what we got from the Conservatives on climate - say one thing, do another.
It is bitterly disappointing to see the Labour govt going down the same path.
👍. There's a whole ocean of flights happening across Europe and it's all about competing for those international connecting flights which will just go to Schiphol, CDG or Frankfurt instead. It's a take it or leave it situation!
I disagree. The more air traffic infrastructure you build, the more flights are possible. Building another runway at Heathrow won’t stop them building a runway at Schipol, CDG or Frankfurt. It isn’t like there is a global quota on runways and if we build others don’t.
There is also the air particle pollution to take into consideration. While an extra runway at Frankfurt or Heathrow have the same global affect, locally it increases the particle pollution which damages the health of those living nearby.
Mr Khan, it’ll be a decade or two for 3rd runway to open. In that long timeframe, the 50+% of LHR flights that are short-haul will be served by aircraft with electric engines - and huge efficiencies will be made to long-haul powered by jet fuel - or hydrogen with only emission being pure water…
Let LHR LGW expand so UK companies can compete in future with global competitors based at decent hub airports - but force expanding UK airports to help fund the tech advances that will ensure greatly reduced emissions when the new runways open in 10-20 years - or else new runways cannot be used.
Both LHR and LGW are owned by major global investment funds who will make even more billions in profits from both airports expanding. These major global funds can certainly afford to fund the tech advances to ensure reduced pollution by the time their new runways open.
Just as London’s congestion charge has now been implemented in New York and other global cities, if London’s airports begin forcing the aviation industry to greatly reduce pollution by the time the new London runways open, the rest of the world’s airports will follow.
I know you represent London, but while you're opposing the runway can you also ask Rachel to spread a bit more of the cash up North please? I don't mean the free cash they're giving Man Utd. Arsenal managed to build the Emirates and surrounding houses without a handout.
Not sure that would be the first step I'd take. The UK is run by the civil servants in the treasury. They don't like spending money out if the south because they don't trust Mayor's etc. The trouble is, if you look at the goings on in the North East their point is 'proven'. We need the wealth spread
Yep. I'm not disagreeing with you. That isn't the first step, though, as they would still rely on money from Westminster. We need the authorities that we do have to be given funds now and then they need to manage them properly. If we get another situation like the NE, we'll just hear "I told you so"
Comments
It will cost Labour the next election
It diminishes the UK in the eyes of the world
It won’t even achieve growth
What’s T F is wrong with you Labour?
London. It would be nothing to do with Khan. I agree with him It is more central and London seems to get everything the rest of the country is left out.
There can not be ♾️ infinite Economic Growth on a Finite Planet 🌏
Sir David Attenborough,
Blue Planet.
h o ld s l o y a l t y t o
left hand
hand right
p o l i t i c s
i care about having a planet to live on.
Your advice? "Compete with them". 🙃🙃
There are consequences for failing to decarbonise.
However that theory doesn't extend to fixing St Pancras and unlocking the dozen-planes-an hour of blocked Eurostar capacity.
https://www.uecna.eu/key-issues/night-flights/rules-athens-violated/
Thank you for taking a stand for liveable cities.
Heathrow will be the fight that determines the outcome for cities plagued by irresponsible airport development everywhere.
H5N1 is going to spread like wildfire this year, this is the time to prevent a scramble for PPE
What a shame that the Labour government have turned out as they have. True blue. No concerns about either climate change or biodiversity- she even said she doesn’t care about bats or newts.
Sorry, I won’t vote Labour again.
If I wanted Tories I’d vote for them
Never ever again
Don't be part of the anti-growth coalition.
We need trains not planes.
All are much exaggerated. A lot of people live here and the odd criminal is a statistical certainty.
'Sustainable clean air fuel' sounds like clean coal.
There is an obvious way to grow the economy and that is selling more by rejoining the Single European Market, Britain built that. Rejoining backs builders not blockers.
Take us back into Europe FFS.
im sick and tired of how right wing labour are. your policies are just thatcherism( complete with thatcher era anti-lgbt+ bigotries ).
That being said, the UK could do with additional capacity / investing in its fundamental airports and national infrastructure!
- Renewables ✅
- Taxing or banning short distance plane rides & subsidising international and national trains ✅
Who needs a fag packet when google is right there?
Heathrow third runway is about to tapping into international air traffic which is happening anyway.
We're heading towards environmental catastrophe, and Reeves and #Labour think this will help?
It's madness.
This is what we got from the Conservatives on climate - say one thing, do another.
It is bitterly disappointing to see the Labour govt going down the same path.
1/
2/2
That's basically why they don't get such funds.
And none of them are equipped to coordinate major airport level policy.
The first step - for us - is to talk about a real federation.