Wandsworth Conservatives have welcomed new evidence which confirms that Gatwick expansion provides greater economic benefits and less damage to health and the environment.
The Government’s earlier consultation on airport expansion was judged to be inadequate because it excluded vital information on the UK Air Quality Plan and future aviation demands; it has now been forced to consult for a second time.
Documents released by the Department for Transport reveal for the first time the evidence that the benefits from a second runway at Gatwick far exceed the advantage of expanding Heathrow.
John Locker has welcomed the release of this new evidence and is calling on the Government to recognise the plain fact that its “all eggs in one basket” approach to airport expansion is wrong, expensive, more destructive of the environment and less beneficial to our economy. John says “it is time for the government to face the reality and abandon this foolish plan – Heathrow already blights lives in Putney. Further expansion would be just intolerable.”
Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council also welcomed the new evidence and added: “I have been saying for a very long time that Gatwick has the capacity to expand, can be delivered at a lower cost and sooner. It is also time for the Department of Transport to invest in improvements to rail links between London and Gatwick. These trains should stop at Balham to boost this borough’s connectivity with Gatwick.”
The eight-week consultation runs until 19 December.