Heathrow � should we build a third runway? | 55
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
We are therefore drawn to the conclusion that is that there is no
realistic or cost-effective alternative to expansion of runway
capacity at Heathrow to provide for the needs of the economy
over the next 20-30 years. But certain conditions should be met
before a new runway is given final approval.
First, the Government has stipulated that strict EU air quality
regulations, to be introduced from 2010, must be met. Although
road traffic, rather than aircraft, causes most air pollution � and
the limit is breached in other parts of London � there is clearly a
problem in the airport vicinity. Similarly, solutions have to be
found for dealing with noise pollution, for instance through
compensation schemes for those with genuine cases.
Secondly, part of any extra capacity should be earmarked for
improvements to operating efficiency rather than for starting new
flights. Airport infrastructure cannot run well if there is no spare
capacity to cater for unforeseen events. Once capacity is in place,
there is a natural tendency for it to be utilised to the maximum. So
the regulatory regime should ensure that any new capacity at
Heathrow is used only up to a certain limit. A new runway could then
deliver benefits for both the economy and the environment, which
would see fewer emissions from aircraft queuing to take off or land.
Finally, the accompanying surface access strategy should be
laid out at an early stage. The heavy volume of traffic requiring
access to the airport creates many of the problems at Heathrow.
The Government has set out proposals for new rail links,
including essential connections to the west of the airport. These
and other elements of the associated surface access plans must be
clarified at the earliest opportunity. It is only possible to consider
the impact of a new runway at Heathrow if full details are
available of how people will get there.
But as well as building a new runway at Heathrow as soon as
possible, we must look further ahead and start planning now for
the provision of air services beyond the current time horizon.
Even with a third runway, Heathrow will be unable to cope with
the demand for air travel beyond the next 20-30 years. Improving
the transport infrastructure is vital, but it takes a long time
thanks to the UK's cumbersome planning procedures � something
the Planning Act will go only part way towards addressing. Simply
deferring decisions doesn't help � it just means the solution
arrives even later and everybody suffers in the meantime.
Politicians of all parties have got to take the difficult and
politically painful decisions about the infrastructure that the
economy needs for the long term. If governments had been
courageous in facing up to tough decisions about a new airport in
the 1970s and 1980s, then we should not have had to confront the
damaging reality that Heathrow presents today.

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