On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:15:57 -0000, "tim..."
wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message
...
Graeme Wall wrote:
On 28/02/2020 08:51, tim... wrote:
The usual suspects not interested in discussing this then?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51658693.
The more interesting thing is campaigners are intending to challenge
road schemes on the same grounds which could have a beneficial effect on
the economics of rail expansion and electrification schemes.
The same campaigners also challenge rail schemes, as we've seen with HS2.
The same ruling will also apply to any other airport expansion, which may
not please the government and London mayor quite so much.
The point about the ruling is that it didn't say that the airport expansion,
wasn't, or couldn't be, compliant with whatever law it is that it's suppose
to comply with, just noted that the proposals hadn't been tested against
that requirement, when they should have been.
Yup, another gift from that nice Mr Grayling!
AISI the problem with LHR expansion when performing that test, is that its
business case is based upon the increased use of LHR as a global hub and
therefore encouraging extra people to travel via LHR, for whom neither their
source nor destination is in the UK.
Many of those hub users will be based in the UK, just not near
Heathrow. For example, there will be more UK regional flights to an
expanded Heathrow.
It therefore cannot possibly be argued that this increased opportunity for
air travel is necessary for the overall good of the UK economy (except in
the trivial amount that air side purchases form of the economy) and that
that economic benefit justifies meeting/overriding whatever requirement the
afore mentioned act requires. Something that a stand alone improvement of
UK point to point travel (rail, road or air) might manage.
There are many other benefits from Heathrow expansion, including
having more direct flights from it to places like South America, thus
reducing the use of other hubs like Madrid or Schiphol. Those benefit
both UK residents and the planet.