The Chancellor is backing the expansion of London Heathrow Airport with a third runway. This has of course been proposed in the past but plans have always been thwarted by political and legal opposition. Rachel Reeves believes it would assist her plans to grow the economy, and it should be pushed through. Even if she manages to overcome all the hurdles it could be many years before we see the new runway.

Is it necessary and a good thing? The issue to my mind has always been the increased noise and pollution from expanding this airport in a London suburb. A much better plan has always been to build a new airport to the east of London on Maplin Sands or elsewhere in Essex/Kent. 

Other alternatives are expansion of Stansted, Luton or Gatwick airports, or even better, expand regional airports. Is it really necessary to have people travelling from all over the UK to Heathrow just to catch a plane to their ultimate destination? It is not and the financial cost of expanding Heathrow is enormous – for example it requires major alterations to the M25/M4 which will add months of disruption to key roads.

I have always opposed Heathrow expansion and will continue to do so because of opposition to the noise that it causes that affects a very wide area of London. Heathrow Airport is also one to avoid in my opinion by any sensible traveller.

Lower Thames Crossing

Apparently the Chancellor is looking at a private finance deal to get the Lower Thames Crossing built. This is a tunnel near Tilbury to divert traffic from the Channel ports to avoid them using the M25 and Dartford Crossing. This is a very worthwhile project that makes a lot more sense than expanding Heathrow Airport.

Just Stop Oil Appeals

Yesterday appeals were heard in the Court of Appeal over the sentences on Just Stop Oil protestors who blocked the M25 for 4 days. That included 5 years for Roger Hallam who helped to organise the protest. Were the sentences justified? Well the cost imposed on the millions of road users who use the M25, and the general inconvenience caused do justify stiff sentences in my opinion. That is particularly so after Hallam in April 2024 was given a suspended two-year sentence for attempting to block Heathrow Airport with drones. Basically he and his supporters are persistently attempting to disrupt normal life. These are not “peaceful” protests – they aim to cause the maximum disruption they can just in the cause of bringing their views into public attention.

I hope the Appeal Court will not be sympathetic.

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/Drivers_London )

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