Carbon neutral Heathrow

HOW Heathrow can be measured a carbon neutral was a question asked to Cllr GregorMurray.

Cllr Rachelle Shepherd-Dubey raised the matter following on from the previous council meeting where it was agreed to back Heathrow if it was indeed green.

“How will we actually measure that the Heathrow expansion is actually Carbon neutral; including the extra airplanes and additional petrolpowered vehicles dropping people off or picking them up?”

Cllr Murray, the executive member for climate emergency, said: “The Council has previously made public that the support to the expansion of Heathrow Airport is conditional on the need to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases including carbon emissions and to demonstrate a clear pathway to carbon neutrality by all means which may include offsetting.

“The need for Western Rail Access and associated improvements to the Twyford Station area have also been identified as essential for the Borough to ensure that there is less dependence on private motor vehicles to access Heathrow from Wokingham Borough and beyond.”

He added: “The Council has requested that Heathrow Airport demonstrates through monitoring (at a suitable location within the Borough) that any increase in the proposed number of overflights in Wokingham Borough will have no adverse effect on the health and quality of life of residents.”

He also said that Heathrow had committed to an electric fleet of cars by 2025 and that the councilwould closely monitor this.