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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Thames airport 'should be rejected' - MPs report | Thames airport 'should be rejected' - MPs report |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government should reject the "Boris Island" Thames Estuary airport plan and expand Heathrow instead, a report by MPs has said. | The government should reject the "Boris Island" Thames Estuary airport plan and expand Heathrow instead, a report by MPs has said. |
| Mayor of London Boris Johnson has argued for a new four-runway hub airport in the Thames Estuary, to the east of London. | Mayor of London Boris Johnson has argued for a new four-runway hub airport in the Thames Estuary, to the east of London. |
| The House of Commons Transport Committee said that would be hugely expensive. | The House of Commons Transport Committee said that would be hugely expensive. |
| It also said it could harm estuary wildlife and lead to Heathrow closing. | It also said it could harm estuary wildlife and lead to Heathrow closing. |
| Gatwick Airport said a third alternative, namely a second runway to the south of London, "will be the most deliverable solution and will provide the connections the UK needs whilst minimising environmental impacts". | Gatwick Airport said a third alternative, namely a second runway to the south of London, "will be the most deliverable solution and will provide the connections the UK needs whilst minimising environmental impacts". |
| But the Transport Committee said adding new runways to expand other existing airports was not a long-term solution, hence dismissing the Gatwick idea. | But the Transport Committee said adding new runways to expand other existing airports was not a long-term solution, hence dismissing the Gatwick idea. |
| 'Global aviation hub' | 'Global aviation hub' |
| The MPs said a third runway at Heathrow is necessary instead and even suggest a fourth runway might have merit. | The MPs said a third runway at Heathrow is necessary instead and even suggest a fourth runway might have merit. |
| John Longworth, director general at the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the conclusion. | John Longworth, director general at the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the conclusion. |
| "Businesses across the UK will certainly be encouraged by the publication of this report," he said. | "Businesses across the UK will certainly be encouraged by the publication of this report," he said. |
| "Now it is time for the government to stop dithering and make this strategy a reality." | "Now it is time for the government to stop dithering and make this strategy a reality." |
| A Department for Transport spokesman said: "This Government is determined to find a lasting solution to maintain the UK's global aviation hub status." | A Department for Transport spokesman said: "This Government is determined to find a lasting solution to maintain the UK's global aviation hub status." |
| The Committee's report also proposed that: | |
| 'Huge public investment' | 'Huge public investment' |
| A third runway at Heathrow is opposed by both residents and councils in west London. | A third runway at Heathrow is opposed by both residents and councils in west London. |
| Mr Johnson said a four-runway airport to the west of London would be "politically undeliverable" and would "consign millions of Londoners to unacceptable levels of noise pollution", while a three-runway airport would be "obsolete" as soon as it was built. | Mr Johnson said a four-runway airport to the west of London would be "politically undeliverable" and would "consign millions of Londoners to unacceptable levels of noise pollution", while a three-runway airport would be "obsolete" as soon as it was built. |
| "Moving London slightly to the east" would be cheaper, he said in an interview with the BBC. | "Moving London slightly to the east" would be cheaper, he said in an interview with the BBC. |
| But Transport Committee chair Louise Ellman MP, disagrees: "Research we commissioned made plain that building an entirely new hub airport east of London could not be done without huge public investment in new ground transport infrastructure. | |
| "Evidence to our inquiry also showed a substantial potential impact on wildlife habitat in the Thames Estuary. | "Evidence to our inquiry also showed a substantial potential impact on wildlife habitat in the Thames Estuary. |
| "The viability of an estuary hub airport would also require the closure of Heathrow - a course of action that would have unacceptable consequences." | "The viability of an estuary hub airport would also require the closure of Heathrow - a course of action that would have unacceptable consequences." |
| Mr Johnson said: "The committee is bang on the button in saying we need a proper hub airport. But by suggesting that Heathrow should double its runways from two to four, the committee is putting four fingers up to hundreds of thousands of Londoners." | |