In January this year, Geoff Hoon halted all the speculation surrounding the never ending debate over whether Heathrow should be granted permission to build a third runway by 2015. The owners of Heathrow have pushed hard for its expansion on the grounds that unless the Heathrow was given the go ahead to be expanded it was in real danger of losing its prime position as the changeover airport linking the rest of the world to North and South America. Schipol, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle are seen as keen competitors for this lucrative market. The city of London has also thrown their support behind the proposal to maintain their status as the key financial centre.

Increased pollution and noise were the main objections why numerous local councils and no less than 7 million individuals objected to the proposal, as this resolution is in direct conflict with the government’s promise to reduce carbon emissions. On top of 700 homes being destroyed and the likely loss of the village of Sipson.

The government contest that it will create above 50,000 jobs during construction and in excess of nearly 8,000 jobs by the time it is finished. The fact remains that Heathrow is an iconic airport and is presently just behind Atlanta and O’hare for passenger numbers and the government would have been in danger of being perceived to be regarded as being responsible for its decline from grace. The Tories have advocated establishing new airport for the south east area, however, given that car parking at Heathrow facilities are well established for both on and off airport car parks and a local business serving the airport is already in place. This alternative proposal would obviously be expensive and once again come up opposition elsewhere and hurt Heathrow’s future long term future.

For instance there are over 30 purpose built hotels at Heathrow airport serving the airport and the business community customer stopping over and the cost of constructing the motorway network and new Heathrow airport car parks would be onerous expensive.