Ministers announced yet another consultation on plans to expand Heathrow Airport yesterday – but insisted it will not cause further delays to the project.
Proposals for a third runway at the West London airport have suffered years of setbacks since first being proposed in 2003.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said yesterday that a Whitehall shut-down caused by the snap election meant the most recent air pollution data had not been available for people to comment on.
In a written statement to MPs, he said this necessitated a short period of extra consultation so everyone has the chance to comment on the latest data.
But he insisted the timetable for Parliamentary scrutiny of the plans would not be affected, meaning there would be no further delay.
Proposals for a third runway at the West London airport, pictured, have suffered years of setbacks since first being proposed in 2003
MPs are still expected to vote on the plans in the first half of 2018. Critics of the project hope the Tories’ reduced majority after June’s snap election will mean increased opposition in the House of Commons.
Government sources have admitted they are concerned the £18billion expansion of Heathrow could be blocked by MPs.
Mr Grayling said more than 70,000 responses had been received during the initial consultation period between February and May.
But he said revised aviation demand forecasts and the Government’s final air quality plan had not been presented for consideration at the time because of the election.
The Transport Secretary said yesterday: ‘I am therefore confirming that there is a need to conduct a short period of further consultation to allow this updated evidence to be taken into account.’
He added: ‘This Government remains committed to realising the benefits that airport expansion could bring.
‘I can confirm that we do not expect this additional period of consultation to impact on the timetable for parliamentary scrutiny.’
Later, the Prime Minister’s spokesman told a Westminster briefing: ‘We have been clear on our commitment to moving ahead with Heathrow.’
But in June, Government sources acknowledged it was unclear whether they can now push the plan through following the loss of the Government’s majority at the general election.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, pictured, said yesterday that a Whitehall shut-down caused by the snap election meant the most recent air pollution data had not been available for people to comment on
One senior source said: ‘Heathrow, like some of the counter-terrorism agenda, is one of those issues where we may struggle for numbers.
‘But we are going to go ahead with the vote because it is in the national interest and we hope that other parties will support us on that basis.
‘It doesn’t need primary legislation, but we are committed to giving parliament a vote. If we fail at least we can say we tried.’
Support for Heathrow expansion in the Commons was looking tight even before the snap election that saw the Government lose its majority.
Mrs May indicated last year that ministers are likely to get a free vote on the issue, following warnings that senior Cabinet ministers such as Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Justine Greening might otherwise walk out.
Tory whips have warned that as many as 40 Conservative MPs could vote against the plans because of concerns about noise and the impact on the environment in their constituencies.
Labour’s position on the issue is unclear. Senior figures such as shadow chancellor John McDonnell and London Mayor Sadiq Khan are opposed to the construction of a third runway. But the party’s manifesto was silent on the issue.
Privately, ministers believe Labour will now oppose expansion at Heathrow in a bid to force an embarrassing defeat on the Government.
But they think it is possible the project could be saved by the SNP, which could benefit from additional transport spending if the project goes ahead, as well as potential for improved air links.
Jenny Bates, from the Friends of the Earth, said: ‘Regardless of how long ministers decide to consult, it’s clear that a third runway at Heathrow would be bad news for the air we breathe and bad news for our climate.
‘The government had previously claimed that it’s OK for a third runway to make London’s air pollution worse because other areas in the capital would be even dirtier.
‘That assumption looks even more absurd now that air pollution projections have worsened, with more realistic assumptions in the governments Air Quality Plan.
‘We need to protect people’s health and reduce exposure to dirty air as quickly as possible, not add to the problem, which a third runway inevitably would.’