Better Transport

There are many plans to expand airports and runways around the country. Below are some we are particularly worried about.

Heathrow airport: a third runway and a sixth terminal
Heathrow’s owners, BAA, are trying to build a third runway and sixth terminal, which would increase the number of flights from 475,000 to 700,000 a year. They also want to end runway alternation, where planes take off from one runway in the morning and another in the afternoon to give nearby residents some respite from aircraft noise. A decision from the Government is expected later this year.

Stansted airport: more flights and a second runway
The Government has approved a 10% increase in flights from Stansted, and BAA wants to build a second runway, and has recently applied for planning permission. A public inquiry is expected early next year.

Birmingham airport: an extended existing runway and a second runway
Birmingham airport is seeking an extension to its existing runway, with a third terminal, tripling passenger numbers from 9.2 million in 2006 to 27.2 million by 2030. It would also like to construct a second runway after 2030.

Brecon Beacons airport: converting an RAF base into a private airport
Kemble, a private airport operator, is trying to convert a disused RAF airbase in the Brecon Beacons into a private airport. The Snowdonia Society, Brecon Beacons National Park and Friends of Pembrokeshire National Park all oppose the scheme.

Lydd airport: massive growth
Lydd airport is a tiny, private airfield on the Kent coast, which currently serves around 5,000 passengers a year. Its owners are keen for Lydd to grow into a thriving international airport, and have renamed it London-Ashford Airport, despite it being nowhere near either. Its expansion plans call for passenger numbers to rise to half a million zyear.