Climate campaigners have reacted with anger after Heathrow's third runway plans were approved, potentially increasing flights from 480,000 to 720,000 a year.
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon gave the go-ahead to the controversial scheme as the Gazette went to press, effectively ignoring growing protests across west London.
The blueprint will aim to mitigate the environmental impact and will include investment in road and rail and are expected to include opening up hard shoulders to ease congestion.
But anti-expansion campaigners and borough politicians are more than skeptical.
Campaigner John Stewart, chairman of HACAN, said: "There will be fury at this decision which flies in the face of facts.
"People will fight the government in the courts, in their communities, in the town halls and, if necessary, on the tarmac of Heathrow Airport."
Council Leader Jason Stacey said: "It's very disappointing. The scale of opposition has been immense and it just shows the government has ignored that totally."
But Lord Soley, campaign director of Future Heathrow - which represents groups in favour of expansion - and former MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush, believes Heathrow has been in decline.
He said: "If we can't show to the world we're prepared to invest in our own transport infrastructure why should anyone invest in Britain?"
