Backing for new runways confirmed

[casper]

The Government has confirmed its backing for two new south-east England runways and greater use of Heathrow Airport's existing runways.



But Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said that a new runway at Stansted Airport would not be operational before 2015 - more than three years after the projected date put forward in the Government's 2003 Aviation White Paper.



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[Tomcatboy48237]

Too cool, I was just reading an article about Heathrow and it's overcrowding the other day.  It had a lot about the proposed third runway and the effect it would have.  Very interesting article, it was in Air and Space magazine.

[casper]

After your post Tomcat I also did a bit of reading on the subject and to be honest some of the facts and figures amazed me.

IMPACT OF EXPANSION ON NOISE POLLUTION

Heathrow: would affect 333,000 people (up 26,000)

Stansted: would affect 8,000 people (up 2,000)

Air passenger growth is expected to continue at levels of 3-5% per year.



Friends of the Earth claims this will push up the aviation contribution to the UK's carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) emissions to 10-12% by 2020 - from the current 5%.