Response to the draft Aviation National Policy Statement

The London Assembly Environment Committee has responded to the draft Aviation National Policy Statement.

The response follows Committee meetings on 10 November 2016 and on 16 March 2017, at which the environmental impacts of aviation and particularly of an expanded Heathrow were discussed with experts and stakeholders including Heathrow Airport, the Clean Air in London Campaign, HACAN Clearskies, Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and the Local Authorities Aircraft Noise Campaign.

Successive Mayors of London and the London Assembly have long opposed expansion at Heathrow, because it would exacerbate the already-severe air pollution and noise impacts on Londoners.

The current London Assembly likewise opposes the construction of a third runway at Heathrow on the grounds of both local and national environmental impact.

Despite this consistent opposition from the airport’s own region, and many across the rest of the country, the Government has chosen to support a proposal by Heathrow Airport to build a third, north-west runway, with additional facilities to go with it.

Heathrow’s flights capacity would increase by 60 per cent, from around 480,000 air traffic movements per year to 770,000, and its passenger and freight capacity would increase.

This response focuses on the environmental impacts of this proposal: air pollution, noise pollution and carbon emissions.