21-07-03

Commons report confirms consensus on second runway in Edinburgh – Barrett

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, has welcomed the report of a powerful cross-party committee of MPs, which recommended against an early decision being taken on the construction of a second runway at Edinburgh airport.

In their newly published report on aviation, the House of Commons Transport Select Committee argued that although a new runway may be required towards the end of the next 30 years, building a runway was not a decision that had to be taken now.

This follows the submission of John Barrett MP and Margaret Smith MSP to the Government's air transport consultation, where they maintained a decision on building a second runway at Edinburgh airport was not required at present but that the land should be protected so the option could be kept open for the future.

Commenting on the Select Committee report, John Barrett said:

"There is now a clear consensus on the issue of a second runway at Edinburgh airport, something which Alistair Darling cannot ignore.

"Whilst the Department of Transport has said a second runway would be required in Scotland before 2030, Margaret Smith and I, along with the British Airports Authority and now the Transport Select Committee argue that such a development is not needed until the latter end of the 30 year period.

"The Aviation White Paper to be published in the autumn must show that the Government has listened to these concerns. However, it must also make the case for conserving the land which would be used to allow the option of a second runway to be kept open for the future."

The Select Committee also made strong arguments against the idea of building a brand new hub airport in Central Scotland. They recommended that the construction of any new airports on greenfield sites should be dismissed and that maximising the use of existing facilities should be a priority.

John Barrett added:

"Constructing a brand new airport in Central Scotland from scratch had been proposed by some. There was already wide agreement that such a scheme would be the most costly and the most environmentally damaging. The Select Committee's report confirms this and must surely be the final nail in the coffin of such an idea.

"Both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports have a great deal to offer. If developed in a sustainable way, both airports could bring new jobs, new investment and better air services for Scottish travellers. It is crucial we make the most effective use of the existing facilities."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. The Transport Select Committee is a cross-party committee of MPs, whose role is to scrutinise the work of the Department for Transport. There are 7 Labour Members, 2 Conservatives, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 Democratic Unionist Member.

2. On a second runway at Edinburgh, they said on page 22, paragraph 45:

45. Under the RASCO reference case, the analysis suggests that an extra runway may be required in the central belt of Scotland towards the end of the 30 year period and that Birmingham might also need a new runway. However, these are not decisions that need to be taken now, and the scenarios should be regularly revisited and updated as required.

3. On the building of brand new airports, they said on page 38, paragraph 105:

105. Whilst it is not for the Committee to make judgements about the different impacts of individual schemes we can make some generalised observations. A new airport on a greenfield site would have huge environmental impacts, not only in itself but because of all the associated surface access and development which would accompany it. The Government's Integrated Transport White Paper says that there should be no viable alternative were such an expansion to take place. We believe that expansion at or near existing sites, where appropriate, is a viable and more practicable solution. We therefore suggest that the Government could minimise the heritage and ecological impacts of expanding airports by:

Making best use of existing facilities;

Expanding existing airports on a case by case basis; and

Dismissing the construction of new major airports on greenfield sites.

4. The full report of the Transport Select Committee is available at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmtran/454/45402.htm