Lib Dems call on government to abandon Runway 2 Public Enquiry (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems call on government to abandon Runway 2 Public Enquiry

March 27, 2009 10:08 PM

Carol Barbone of SSE, Norman Baker MP and Lib Ddem Peter Wilcock outside the Three Horseshoes at Molehill Green

Lib Dem Transport Secretary Norman Baker visited Stansted Airport yesterday (26th March) hosted by Cllr Peter Wilcock, the local Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman, and Cllr Alan Dean, Stansted district councillor. He brought with him a letter from Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg MP asking Geoff Hoon and the government to abandon the public enquiry into plans for a second runway at Stansted.

After arriving at Stansted Airport station, Mr Baker met with Stewart Wingate, Managing Director of Stansted and his senior management team to discuss amongst other items, the recent Competition Commission report recommending the sale of Stansted. At the meeting Norman Baker reiterated the firm opposition of the Liberal Democrats to a second runway at Stansted Airport, describing the idea as "hugely damaging, nationally to the battle against climate change, and locally to the many communities who would be severely affected".

Following the visit to the airport, Norman Baker met Carol Barbone and Peter Riding from SSE at The Three Horseshoes, Molehill Green to hear about the community campaign against the airport expansion. He congratulated the team who were at fighting on behalf of the local community.

Norman Baker, a committed environmentalist, left by train to go to Liverpool from Stansted Mountfitchet, after a public meeting at Stansted Day Centre, where he answered a number of questions relating to his transport portfolio from the guests.

At the meeting, Mr Baker said: "The decision to delay the inquiry on the second runway is welcome and the government must now take account of the widespread public opposition to further airport expansion. The Government must now scrap the G2 public enquiry."

"The Liberal Democrats will continue to work to stop this expansion from being forced upon local communities and the country at large". He quoted from the letter from party leader, Nick Clegg: "I am writing to ask you to abandon the public inquiry into plans for a second runway at Stansted…to rethink a decision which is environmentally disastrous….especially since it remains unclear whether any new owner (of Stansted) will wish to continue with a second runway and passenger demand at Stansted has fallen by 20%."

Peter Wilcock concluded, "It was pleasing that Norman had made time out of his busy Parliamentary schedule to visit Stansted to see first hand the effects that a second runway would bring to the wider area. He was very firm that a second runway at Stansted would be a "white elephant" and he will continue to fight in the House of Commons to have an aviation policy that acknowledges the damaging effect that aviation has on climate change"