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."
