A LANDMARK coalition agreement between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats has included a pledge to scrap the third runway at Heathrow.
The confirmation came in the form of a seven page A4 document, outlining the key policies, agreements, and concessions made by both parties in the wake of a hung parliament following last Thursday's General Election.
New Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg held a news conference this afternoon (Wednesday) at 10 Downing Street to mark the beginning of the coalition agreement.
One of the Conservatives pre-election pledges was to deliver on their campaign against the runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow, which would have lead to the destruction of 700 homes in Sipson and Harmondsworth, and an increase in flight activity around West Drayton.
The coalition agreement confirms, in bullet point format: "The cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow", and "the refusal of additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted."
The third runway was very much a Labour project, and now they are out of office the runway seems dead in the water, especially after a High Court judge told the then Department of Transport to go back to the drawing board after ruling that the consultation process was 'botched'.
The coalition agreement also affirms the commitment to a high-speed rail network, but does not specify the route which could be chosen. The Conservatives have previously indicated they would scrap the proposals to start the line at London Euston which runs through Ruislip, Ickenham and Harefield, and would rather begin the line from Heathrow.
On his election as MP last Thursday, Hayes and Harlington (Lab) MP John McDonnell, a staunch anti-runway campaigner, also announced that the runway was 'dead'.
BAA have not yet indicated whether they intend to push ahead with the third runway project or abandon it for good.
Geraldine Nicholson, chair of the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG), said: "It is a great decision. It means that thousands of people will not be forced out of their homes to make way for a new runway. Our task now is to regenerate Sipson and the other villages which have lived with so much uncertainty in recent years."
John Stewart, chair of the campaign group HACAN, which represents residents under the Heathrow flight paths, said, "The third runway is now dead in the water. It is good news for London. A third runway would have been bad for the capital’s environment and was not essential for its economic well-being. A long campaign has ended in victory. We are delighted"
Councillor Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon Council, speaking on behalf of the 2M Group of local authorities which , said: "Today’s news is the final proof of the extraordinary success of our campaign. First we won in the courts and now we’ve got the new Government confirming that it’s all over.
"We could not have known what the outcome of the election would be when we brought this challenge. The judgment meant that whatever the result the case for the third runway would have been set back years.
"This won’t be the end of our campaigning, we will want to ensure that the current relief offered to residents by runway alternation is maintained and we will be pressing for reductions in night flights and more stringent noise and air quality controls.
"The new Government now has the chance to draw a line under an unsatisfactory period of public administration when too often it seemed that the aviation lobby’s interests were being placed ahead of the concerns of local people about the environment and their quality of life."
Councillor Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon Council, speaking on behalf of the 2M Group of local authorities which helped bring about the judicial review, said: "Today’s news is the final proof of the extraordinary success of our campaign. First we won in the courts and now we’ve got the new Government confirming that it’s all over.
"We could not have known what the outcome of the election would be when we brought this challenge. The judgment meant that whatever the result the case for the third runway would have been set back years.
"This won’t be the end of our campaigning, we will want to ensure that the current relief offered to residents by runway alternation is maintained and we will be pressing for reductions in night flights and more stringent noise and air quality controls.
"The new Government now has the chance to draw a line under an unsatisfactory period of public administration when too often it seemed that the aviation lobby’s interests were being placed ahead of the concerns of local people about the environment and their quality of life."
MP Philip Hammond (Con), who represents Runnymede and Weybridge in Surrey, has been announced as the Transport Secertary.
What is your reaction to the news on the third runway and high speed rail commitments? E-mail dancoombs@trinitysouth.co.uk
