London Banter - View Single Post - Heathrow third runway to get the go ahead

Graeme Wall · January 15th 09, 11:10 AM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.railway

In message
wrote:

On Jan 15, 10:08*am, Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
01:35:13 on Thu, 15 Jan 2009, remarked:

Especially given that passenger numbers at heathrow are dropping
according to this report. The whole thing stinks.

We are in a "bust", so of course short-term passenger numbers are likely
to fall. The new runway is (one possible) solution for the capacity
required in the next "boom". If there's not going to be another "boom",
we don't need a lot of things, including Crossrail.

When you're in a bust you don't start spending billions on vanity
projects. Even in the boom years heathrow could cope with the
passenger numbers

The problem is Heathrow couldn't cope with the passenger numbers. Ignoring
the environmental and social problens, now is a good time to invest in major
infrastructure works. Same arguement applies to eg electrification of the
GWML.

Which is not to say I'm in favour of the third runway, I'm not. But I can
see the economic arguements.

--
Graeme Wall
This address is not read, substitute trains for rail.
Transport Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html