Gatwick - No need for second runway (Mole Valley Liberal Democrats)

Mole Valley Liberal Democrats <info@molevalleylibdems.org.uk>

Gatwick - No need for second runway

September 28, 2009 9:11 PM

Departures hall at London Gatwick airport. It has been announced that BAA has sold Gatwick Airport as part of the Government programme to cut the BAA monopoly of airport ownership in the South East. The new owners are reported to want permission to add a new runway as soon as the current agreement expires in 2019.

However at a recent public meeting it was announced that expected passenger numbers have not been met due to the economic downturn and fears of terrorism. In fact, Gatwick saw 6 million fewer passengers than expected last year. This shows that an additional runway at Gatwick is now completely unnecessary, as the Liberal Democrats have always argued.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Alice Humphreys says: "The latest passenger figures show that there is no need for a second runway at Gatwick. However the threat has not gone away. Despite the Government target to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 they have agreed to a third runway at Heathrow. Liberal Democrats will defend our environment by continuing complete opposition to a second runway at Gatwick."