BAAand the Department for
Transport (DfT) have really
been caught with their
trousers down this time.Long-held suspicions about the extent
to which the Government is in league
with the airports operator have been
confirmed in what The Sunday Times
calls 8220The great Heathrow evidence fit-
up8221.This has strong echoes ofwhat is
happening over Stansted.
The revelation that BAA colluded with
theDfT to 8216ratchet down8217 forecasts of
the environmental damage that would
be caused by a third Heathrow runway
came on the eve ofBAA8217s
announcement about plans for a
second runway at Stansted.
We are waiting to hear whether BAA
will be allowed to expand use ofthe
existing Stansted runway (G1)
following a public inquiry that exposed
theunreliability ofits 8216evidence8217,
especially in the crucial area of
environmental pollution,where
itunderstatedthe impacts but
conveniently made this confession long
after the public inquiry closed.
Incompetence over the Stansted public
inquiry, compounded by collusion over
Heathrow expansion, destroyspublic
confidence in theplanning system, the
reliability ofGovernment information
and in so-called 8216consultation8217.
Surely heads should roll at both the
DfT and at BAA.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly will
now come under pressure to
commission an independent scientific
report to get to the truth about
pollution at Heathrow.
She is one oftwo ministers who will
rule on the outcome ofthe G1 public
inquiry and, inevitably, will be
involved in the decision on a second
runway.
As an elected public servant, the first
question she should ask is: why would
BAA operate any differently over the
8216evidence8217 it submits on Stansted to the
8216fit-up8217 over Heathrow?
The second question might be: ifher
own department is involved in a fit-up,
is it (and indeed she) fit for purpose?
Mike Fairchild,
Ford Hill, Little Hadham.Policy up in the airBAA Stansted is keen to remind us
that Stansted Airport expansion is
in line with Government policy. But
things have moved on since the air
transport White Paper of2003.
The Government states on its own
website (www.direct.gov.uk) that 8220air
travel makes a growing contribution to
climate change . . . and can have
serious impacts on local air quality.
Forecasts suggest that emissions from
flying could make up between 10 and 16
per cent ofthe UK8217s contribution to
climate change by 2020, ifno action is
taken to lessen the environmental
impacts.8221
It advises travellers to 8220think whether
you need to travel by air 8211 reducing the
amount you travel can reduce your
impact on climate change8221.
This up-to-date advice is surely aimed
at discouraging cheap air travel and is
definitely not a mandate for expansion
at Stansted.
Chris Sewell,
Sible Hedingham, Essex.www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk
Observer March 13, 2008 11LETTERSSend your letters to: The Observer,
12 North Street, Bishop8217s Stortford,
Herts CM23 2LQ or you can email us
with your views on local issues to
observer@hertsessexnews.co.ukIs Kelly fit to
rule on G1?Second
runway a
done dealOVER the
weekend we
will all have
received the
Stansted
Generation 2
pamphlet, the
latest propaganda
from BAA, via our
Government
Highways Agency
document, all paid
for by the taxpayer.
The information
provides us with
confirmation that
Transport
Secretary Ruth
Kelly agrees with
the proposals to
serve the
development
associated with a
second runway.
Responses from
the public
consultation were
about one per cent
ofthe area affected
by the airport.
In summary, the
new junction 8b
link road from the
M11 to the airport
has been agreed as
BAA will be
submitting a
planning
application for the
second runway. Get
ready for the new
runway as it8217s a
done deal.
Kevin Doyle,
Blacksmith Close,
Bishop8217s Stortford.IWAS horrified to read
(8220Getting to grips with
flight path changes8221,
Observer, Mar 6) that there
is a recommendation that
the Buzad departure route
from Stansted Airport is
being considered for
alteration.
I have looked on the NATS
(National Air Traffic
Services) website and there
is no mention of this at all.
How on earth can you give
an opinion on something
that is not even supposed
to be happening? Very odd
indeed.
The immediate impact of
this change would affect
the Twyford Park housing
estate (often referred to as
Old Thorley), Thorley Park
and St Michael8217s Mead.
Other areas in Bishop8217s
Stortford would possibly be
affected too.
It seems very unfair to
make things worse for
communities that suffer
excessive air noise already.
Many of the areas that
would see a benefit from
this change endure less
noise, and what planes they
do get are far higher than
when overflying here.
I showed an airline pilot
friend the proposed new
route. He said to me that he
thought such a tight turn on
the noise preferential route,
bearing in mind we are
talking about very large
aircraft, was potentially
dangerous.
We all sadly remember the
Korean Air disaster in
December 1999. If
something similar
happened with a plane
heading in our direction I
dread to think what would
happen.
The area which would
suffer most of all from this
change is where the two
new schools and possible
new housing is being
proposed: the land between
St James Way and
Whittington Way.
I hope that the town council
and our MP, Mark Prisk, will
oppose this flight path
change.
Alan Cook,
Twyford Park,
Bishop8217s Stortford.We don8217t want Korean
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