Bangkok Post

HOLDING PATTERN

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British government is branded “gutless” for further delaying a new Heathrow runway.

LONDON: The British government was on the back foot yesterday after being branded “gutless” for further delaying a decision on where to build a much-needed new runway for London.

The government said on Thursday it would postpone the decision until at least mid-2016 to assess the environmen­tal impact of possible expansion at London Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport.

Businesses have been lobbying for a third runway at Heathrow, a move fiercely opposed by environmen­tal groups and lawmakers in residentia­l west London.

Prime Minister David Cameron had promised a decision before the new year.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin yesterday refused to rule out yet more delay on choosing between a third runway at Heathrow, extending one of the current runways or building a second one at the secondary London Gatwick Airport.

The government had made some important moves forward by accepting the case for expanding airport capacity in southeast England, he said.

“We accept that additional airport capacity is needed and we will make a decision on that hopefully in the summer of next year, which would still allow us to get the extra capacity we need by 2030,” he said.

Mr McLoughlin insisted that all options were still on the table. “Please get off the fixation of a third runway at Heathrow,” he said.

An earlier commission had recommende­d expanding Heathrow, but hundreds of homes would have to be demolished and the extra traffic could mean Britain fails to meet emissions targets.

Business groups have long called for Heathrow’s extension, which they say would boost trade and help Britain keep up with rapidly expanding airports in the Middle East and Asia.

Heathrow handled 73.4 million passengers in 2014 and connects to 185 destinatio­ns in 84 countries.

It lost its crown as the world’s busiest airport for internatio­nal passenger traffic to Dubai last year, while Turkey is planning massive airport capacity expansion in Istanbul.

“Businesses will see this as a gutless move by a government that promised a clear decision on a new runway by the end of the year,” said John Longworth, directorge­neral at the British Chambers of Commerce. “Ministers need to stop prevaricat­ing and get on with doing what the country sorely needs.”

Critics also said the decision to delay was to avoid political embarrassm­ent for Mr Cameron and his Conservati­ve Party.

When in opposition in 2009, Mr Cameron opposed adding a third runway to Heathrow.

Zac Goldsmith, the Conservati­ve candidate for the May 2016 London mayoral elections, threatened to resign his seat in parliament should Heathrow expansion get the green light.

 ?? AFP ?? Signs protesting against the building of an additional runway at London Heathrow airport are seen around the village of Harmondswo­rth, near the airport.
AFP Signs protesting against the building of an additional runway at London Heathrow airport are seen around the village of Harmondswo­rth, near the airport.

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