Sadiq Khan: Heathrow expansion would undermine London's 'clean air' progress
Sadiq Khan: Heathrow expansion would undermine London's 'clean air' progress
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Sir Sadiq Khan has warned that a third runway at Heathrow could undermine his efforts over recent years to clean up London’s air. Speaking just minutes after Rachel Reeves had given her speech on Wednesday about boosting the UK’s economic growth, the Labour mayor also cast doubt on the Chancellor’s claim that the project would create 100,000 jobs, saying that would depend on the airport’s exact proposal.
“Let me be quite clear and unambiguous - I remain opposed to a third runway at Heathrow Airport,” Sir Sadiq told the Standard. “We’ve managed to improve the air in London because of our policies. One of the most polluted parts of our city when it comes to air pollution is around Heathrow, and this will make that worse, not better.”.
The mayor also expressed concern about the impact it will have on the UK’s carbon emissions and said it would worsen noise disturbance for Londoners. “This is the biggest conurbation in Europe,” said Sir Sadiq. “The numbers of people affected by noise from just two runways is more than the numbers of people affected by Paris Charles de Gaulle, by Munich, by Madrid, by Amsterdam airports - put together.”.
He stopped short of committing to back a legal challenge against the scheme, as he did before the pandemic - saying he would need to see Heathrow’s exact plan first. But he added that Londoners “know my track record in relation to working cross-party, working with councils and communities and others to stand up to a third runway at Heathrow”.
