Third Runway At Heathrow Policy Abandoned By Labour

Aviation industry bosses say they're dismayed at an apparent U-turn by Labour over a third runway at Heathrow airport. Labour's shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle allegedly told a conference of the Airport Operators Association that the policy to build a third runway had been shelved.

Labour fought the last general election pledging to expand Heathrow with another runway, a policy bitterly contested by nearby residents and environmental groups. The Conservatives scrapped the plans for the third runway when the coaliton took power, to the dismay of Heathrow's owner BAA and the aviation industry more widely.

Industry leaders have since warned that Heathrow risks losing its hub status, and Heathrow has been lobbying government on the issue for several months, most recently through a poster campaign seen throughout central London.

Some Conservative MPs privately worry that the government lacks a coherent strategy for aviation growth, and are particularly unconvinced by the government's vision for high speed rail taking on more passengers instead of increased numbers of flights.

Mike Carrivick, BAR UK chief executive, said “The decision of the Labour Party to withdraw support for a third runway at Heathrow is not just a massive policy u-turn but strongly suggests that politics are now deliberately obstructive to supporting UK business and driving economic growth."

Labour has recently unveiled its alternative route for the High Speed 2 Line from London to Birmingham, running along a slightly different route from the one being proposed by the coalition. Under opposition plans the line would connect Heathrow directly with Birmingham, rather than running from central London.