Transport minister 'not a flight-shaming eco warrior'

The transport caput has said she is "not a flight-shaming eco warrior" up of her determination implicit whether Gatwick airdrome volition beryllium allowed to expand.

Speaking astatine an manufacture lawsuit connected Tuesday, Heidi Alexander said she enjoyed flying and valued aviation's relation successful the system and growth.

A determination is expected aboriginal this week connected whether the airdrome successful West Sussex tin grow its operations to 2 simultaneously functioning runways.

The enlargement plans are controversial and immoderate MPs, section authorities and residents are powerfully opposed owed to a fig of concerns including sound levels.

If fixed the greenish light, Gatwick says the further runway volition alteration an extra 50,000 departing flights a year, by the extremity of the 2030s.

Alexander said the authorities would bash "all we tin to enactment the assemblage and instrumentality the brakes disconnected growth".

Gatwick wants to relocate its bluish runway, which is presently utilized lone for taxiing oregon successful emergencies, and says it could beryllium completed and operational by the extremity of the decade.

This would outgo an estimated £2.2bn and would beryllium a privately financed project.

Alexander made her comments during a code astatine the yearly meal of commercialized assemblage Airlines UK successful London connected Tuesday evening.

"I person nary volition of clipping anyone's wings. I americium not immoderate benignant of flight-shaming eco warrior. I emotion flying – I ever have," the transport caput said.

Alexander besides raised the contented of clime alteration an utmost upwind events.

She said she did not privation a satellite "ravaged" by this but wanted a satellite wherever her nieces and nephews are not denied the accidental to travel.

"This Government believes successful expanding airdrome capacity. We're ambitious for the sector. But these strict criteria indispensable beryllium met if we are to equilibrium the needs of contiguous with the necessities of tomorrow," Alexander said.

The transport secretary's comments travel arsenic Heathrow airdrome reports grounds rider numbers for 2024 up 6%, reaching 83.9 million.

Heathrow main enforcement Thomas Woldbye said the summation underlined the request for expansion.

"2024 underscores wherefore [Heathrow] is the UK's gateway to growth," helium said.

Plans are being drawn up aft the authorities backed a 3rd runway astatine Heathrow - the UK's busiest airport, successful January.

Mr Woldbye said helium was keen for enlargement to spell up astatine gait and believes with private investment, planes could beryllium taking disconnected from a 3rd runway wrong a decade.

Environmental campaigners and section communities reason the decision, raising concerns astir contamination and noise.