Cameron warned on Heathrow: no approval without surface transport guarantee

MPs on the environmental audit committee have warned the Prime Minister to not approve a third runway at Heathrow if the airport does not commit to covering the costs of surface transport upgrades and can meet legal air pollution limits.

Chair, Huw Irranca-Davies, said the Government is legally obliged to reduce illegal air pollution levels, and expansion could not be permitted without actions to rectify this. The committee questioned the Airports Commission's conclusion that the Air Quality Directive would allow significant increases in NO2 at Heathrow because of worse performance elsewhere in London. "To defer dealing with the environmental impact of a third runway would be irresponsbile and could lead to legal challenges," Irranca-Davies added.

The MPs also found a gap between the Government's current policies and those policies modelled by the Airports Commission to show expansion could be achieved within CO2 limits. It will urge the transport secretary to not permit final approval until environmental conditions can be met.