Response to the consultation 'Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport'

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The Committee's responses stresses its opposition to the expansion of Heathrow airport, following an investigation into the proposals' environmental impact. It argues that the economic benefits of Heathrow expansion are exaggerated, expansion plans would breach EU air quality standards, and projections for noise impact levels are false.

The Committee found that expansion at Heathrow should not proceed until certain criteria are met, including:

• a full and independent health impact assessment is carried out on local residents;
• Crossrail (due to open in 2017) significantly increases the proportion of passengers accessing Heathrow using public transport;
• the Kyoto agreement includes aviation emissions as part of its binding criteria; and
• the EU’s carbon emissions trading scheme demonstrates success in reducing the UK and Europe’s carbon emissions in line with the revised Kyoto agreements.