COMMENT The Conservative party’s decision to come out against a third runway at Heathrow was always going to be controversial. For David Cameron to be the man to put the brakes on Heathrow’s relentless expansion marks a remarkable change, both in the political climate and in the Conservative party.
The extra 222,000 flights a year that would come with a third runway – a 46 per cent increase on current levels – would make it much more difficult to meet the demanding targets our nation has set itself for reducing carbon emissions; but the environmental concerns are not confined to climate change. The lives of thousands of people would be blighted by increased aircraft noise and pollution. The Environment Agency has warned of the risk of “increased morbidity and mortality” if a third runway goes ahead.
