Parliamentary Committee slams BAA & Gordon Brown's extra runway for Stansted

I am glad that the influential House of Commons Transport Committee concludes that a case for Gordon Brown's second runway at Stansted has not been made.

This only underlines what the Conservatives said months ago. David Cameron has already said that he would scrap proposals for a second runway at the west Essex airport if Conservatives win the next general election.

This pledge was confirmed by Shadow Transport Secretary Teresa Villiers MP - when she visited Harlow and Hastingwood and met with me in March.

We have already seen a delay to the start of a public inquiry over Stansted expansion and passenger numbers at the west Essex airport have dropped significantly.

The bottom line is that Stansted and the aviation industry as it stands at the moment does not need another runway at Stansted.

In addition, the people of west Essex whose homes have been blighted by the prospect of a second runway need to know once and for all that any threat of expansion will be lifted.

Only then they can at last get on with living and enjoying their lives - without the threat of noise and pollution - should these plans ever go ahead.

The 'Future of Aviation' inquiry report questions the need for a second runway at Stansted. I echo the views of the Stop Stansted Expansion group which says the Government is "flogging a dead horse" in its efforts to build a second Stansted runway.

Many months ago now I said that these expansion plans were not just in tatters but in tiny shreds. Those views have only been underlined by the conclusions of this report.

P.S. Its funny how Gordon Brown can talk the talk when it comes to saving the planet at the Copenhagen summit , yet wants to destroy the environment in England, with his airport expansion plans.

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No to BAA!

I am passionately against an extra runway at Stansted Airport and I think BAA has a lot to answer for. Heathrow Airport - except T5 is a disgrace. I am glad that BAA will now be forced to sell off Stansted and I have issued the below Statement to the media in response:

Press release
Issued: March 19, 2009

PROSPECTIVE CONSERVATIVE MP HAILS STANSTED SELL-OFF AS GOOD NEWS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE - AND THE GREEN BELT

NEWS that Stansted Airport operator BAA must sell the west Essex airport is good news and should safeguard thousands of acres of land from being concreted over as part of the controversial plans for a second runway, according to prospective Conservative MP Robert Halfon.

Mr Halfon, who will be contesting the Harlow parliamentary constituency which includes Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering, said: "This announcement is good news for residents in Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering.

"Residents have been badly served by the attempts by Gordon Brown and BAA to
bulldoze through an extra runway, destroying our countryside and cherished green belt and causing significant environmental damage through pollution.

"Thank goodness, a future Conservative Government is opposed to a second runway and will not allow it to be built, despite Gordon Brown's determination to have one dumped on us.

"Hopefully BAA will now concentrate on properly running Heathrow Airport at
last."

The sale announcement was made by the Competition Commission and means BAA
must sell off Stansted, Gatwick and either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "The Conservatives have been calling for BAA's monopoly to be broken up for over a year so I welcome the Competition Commission's recommendation that BAA should loosen its grip and sell Gatwick and Stansted.

"We will continue to keep pressure on BAA to ensure it improves the quality of service it gives customers in the airports it retains. Only then will it be possible to address the Heathrow hassle that can cause so much frustration to business passengers and holiday-makers."