Environment and roads

Airports FAQ

Questions and answers about airports consultation.

• What is proposed?
• Why does the Government say that these developments required?
• Do we have to meet demand?
• Can demand be met elsewhere?
• What is the impact of airport expansion?
• What would the impact be for Hertfordshire?
• What will it mean for local people?
• What is Hertfordshire County Council doing about these proposals?

What is proposed?

The Government is consulting on major new airport developments at the main airports in the South East. The original consultation in summer last year included potential developments of a new runway at Heathrow, up to three new runways at Stansted, a new four runway airport at Cliffe in Kent and a replacement runway (on one of two alignments) at Luton. The second consultation published at the end of February contained the same potential developments plus options for one or two new runways at Gatwick.

The Government has said it is keen to hear what local people have to say. Comments already made on the initial consultation will be taken into account but any further comments are welcomed.

Why does the Government say that these developments required?

The Government claims that forecasts of demand for air travel in the South East over the next 30 years show a near trebling in the numbers of passengers to about 300 million a year. Meeting such a demand would require at least two or three more runways. However, not everybody accepts the Government’s predictions.

Do we have to meet demand?

The Government's forecasts are based on the assumption that as people become more affluent they tend to travel more, and travel by air. Meeting this demand is seen to have economic benefits for the country, creating jobs and stimulating commerce. The Government’s argument that if demand is not met these jobs will be lost to our European competitors.

A policy of forecasting demand and providing sufficient new runways to accommodate it, "predict and provide", is not the only approach. There are arguments in favour of a "monitor and manage" policy that might mean less dramatic growth in the number of runways in the South East.

Demand could also be reduced by making the aviation industry pay for the environmental damage it produces. At present the industry pays no tax on aviation fuel and no VAT on tickets. However, it is thought unlikely that such additional costs would reduce demand to the point when no new runway would be required in the South East.

Can demand be met elsewhere?

Government forecasts show a similar increase in demand in the rest of England. The Government proposes major increases in capacity at the main regional airports such as Birmingham and Manchester to meet this demand. Still more airport development in other parts of the country might reduce the need for more runways in the South East but would require some passengers from the South East having to travel to other parts of the UK to catch a plane.

What is the impact of airport expansion

Airport development creates a wide range of environmental problems such as building on green fields, urbanisation, destruction of habitats and heritage, noise and air pollution, contribution to global warming and increased road and rail congestion. However, the details of these remain unknown as the Government has not taken the opportunity of the second consultation to carry out a full environmental assessment of the impact of its proposals. Furthermore, some of the economic benefits can be queried, particularly in and around Hertfordshire where unemployment is low.

What would the impact be for Hertfordshire?

The Government’s proposals would mean Luton Airport handling as many passengers as Gatwick does today and Stansted developing in stages to handle twice as many as Heathrow. That represents a huge increase and there is no doubt that the proposals would have a considerable impact on the county’s quality of life:

• aircraft movements at the 2 airports will increase from less than 200,000 a year to nearly 1 million meaning more aircraft over head and flying over more places
• the numbers of people most affected by aircraft noise will more than treble.
• 100 hectares of agricultural land would be lost at Luton and up to 1200 at Stansted.
• air pollution from the aircraft will add to the problems of climate change.
• congestion on the roads and railways to the airports will inevitably increase with up to 150 million passengers a year rather than the present 20 million using the two airports. Widening of motorways and additional rail tracks from Stansted to London would be essential, though funding cannot be assured. Other routes, particularly east - west across the county, would become overburdened and local routes will see increased use by airport workers.
• development at Stansted will generate an enormous demand for airport and other employees which will have to be met by new house building near to the airport. The size of any new settlement still has to be assessed but its impact is likely to be significant. The Government has not identified where this development will need to take place but inevitably it will be on green fields and its impact would likely to be significant.

What will it mean for local people?

Large airports on the county’s borders will offer residents a wider range of air flights and some job opportunities. However, for residents near the airports and those under existing and future flight paths it will mean more noise by day and almost certainly by night as well. At Luton the replacement runway could be on a new alignment with completely new flight paths bringing aircraft noise to areas such as Hitchin and Harpenden which are not badly affected at present. For everyone, it would mean more urban activity in the county with more traffic, more noise and more houses.

What is Hertfordshire County Council doing about these proposals?

Since the beginning of the consultation on air transport, Hertfordshire County Council has been engaged in a significant consultation and communications programme both to ensure all our residents are aware of the proposals and their potential impact, and to identify support in our efforts to encourage the Government to look more closely at all the implications of airport expansion before any decisions are made.

• To help raise awareness, we have worked with the county’s district councils to hold over ten public meetings across the two consultations which have been attended by over 2,500 people
• We have worked with the county’s local media to ensure we communicated our messages as widely as possible, encouraging residents to raise their own issues and voice their opinions
• We have now made two formal responses to the Government and met with senior civil servants to highlight the issues of most concern to us and our communities
• We have consulted with a range of organisations to canvass their views on proposed expansion including airport authorities, residents groups, government bodies and pressure groups.