International Development Secretary Justine Greening believes the UK Government will scrap plans to build a third runway at Heathrow.
Miss Greening represents Putney, Roehampton and Southfields and used to be the UK Transport Secretary, meaning she was responsible for the airport decision.
But she was removed from that position as she was opposed to a third Heathrow runway.
The area she represents is directly below the principal arrival route into Heathrow. Putney also has one of the most polluted high streets in the UK.
Miss Greening said he believed the Government would start a new long-term strategy to increase airport capacity by shelving Heathrow.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Miss Greening said:
“I don’t believe that this government will proceed with a third runway decision.
“I just don’t think it is a smart decision.
“Trying to expand Heathrow is like trying to build an eight bedroom mansion on the site of a terraced house. It is a hub airport that is just simply in the wrong place.
“The sooner that we can move onto working out a long term airport strategy for Britain the better.”
Miss Greening added she was confident her colleagues in the Cabinet would reject the third runway plan.
Political opposition to a third Heathrow runway.
Many senior UK politicians are against a third Heathrow runway.
Boris Johnson, the current Mayor of London and probably the next Prime Minister, is the biggest beast against a third Heathrow runway.
Both of the potential successors to Mr Johnson to become the next Mayor of London in May 2016 are against a third Heathrow runway.
Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park is the Tory candidate and Zadiq Khan MP, is the Labour candidate. One of these will become the Mayor.
In addition, many senior MPs from all parties oppose a third Heathrow runway. The most senior is probably John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor and the MP for Hayes & Harlington, right where Heathrow is.
UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, said on 21 October 2009 in Richmond, that there would not be a third Heathrow runway, no ifs, no buts.
“The third runway at Heathrow is not going ahead, no ifs, no buts.”
At that time he was soliciting voters in Richmond, a seat he had to win to become Prime Minister.
The Tory candidate for Richmond was Zac Goldsmith, one of the leading opponents to Heathrow expansion. Mr Goldsmith won and in 2015 was reelected by the people of Richmond with a hugely increased majority, largely because of his opposition to Heathrow expansion.
Mr Goldsmith is now the Tory candidate to be Mayor of London in May 2016.
The problems
A third Heathrow runway has multiple unsolvable problems, including:
- air pollution
- noise pollution
- traffic congestion affecting huge areas
- costs of necessary infrastructure
- constraints on future expansion
- night flight restrictions
- increased risk of crash in populated areas
N.B. Image credit: passengerselfservice.com
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David Cameron will abandon Heathrow third runway plans, Cabinet minister declares