by Chris McLaughlin
THE Government has been warned that a third runway and a new international rail hub at Heathrow are incompatible both economically and environmentally.
Gordon Brown, who backs the airport expansion, is expected to break a Cabinet deadlock on an issue with major national transport and economic implications next week.
A delayed decision on the controversial plan follows a denial by the Department for Transport that the putative plan for a new £4.5 billion international rail exchange for Heathrow was intended as an “environmental sweetener” to runway opponents.
Lord Adonis disclosed to a Sunday newspaper last weekend that the scheme, already put forward by the Tories, was under serious discussion and described it as “attractive”.
But while environmentalists are expecting the go-ahead for the third runway, the future of any rail hub is tentative. A DfT spokesperson confirmed it is one of a number of projects under consideration, including a new high-speed rail link from London to Manchester and Leeds and the electrification of the Great Western Railway to Plymouth.
Environmentalists and transport campaigners gave a qualified welcome to the plan for new rail links at Heathrow but questioned the commercial viability of that and a third runway.
Stephen Joseph, of the Better Transport campaign, said: “The Government can’t have both. The market won’t stand it for a start and European Union air quality limits have to be observed as well.
“We want to see the expansion of rail, but we also want to see the expansion and improvement of local rail networks. There is already a need for better local rail access and facilities at Heathrow and a third runway, apart from the environmental damage, will exacerbate that.”
About The Author
