London’s Mayor will be asked to justify his proposal to commission a study into the feasibility of a new airport east of London.
The Mayor has agreed to Darren Johnson’s request that his officers meet the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to discuss their concerns over the impacts on migratory birds and the legal protections which cover wildlife on the proposed site of the airport.
"The Mayor has committed to working to cut London’s CO2 emissions by 60% by 2025. Effectively moving Heathrow to outside of London looks like a crude attempt to export London’s CO2 emissions instead of trying to reduce them.
"Instead of pursuing madcap ideas to move Heathrow airport to an island in the middle of the Thames, the Mayor should be looking at how we can reduce the volume of air traffic at Heathrow in order to cut CO2 emissions, cut air pollution and cut noise levels."
ENDS
Notes to editors
Darren Johnson recently asked the following question of the Mayor on the wildlife impacts of a Thames estuary airport:
Thames Gateway airport question Question number 1682/2008 Meeting date 10/09/2008
Question by Darren Johnson <www.london.gov.uk
"Will you organise a meeting with representatives of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to discuss the merits and environmental concerns of any proposal to build a new airport in the Thames Estuary?"
Answer by Boris Johnson
"Yes, officers working on the Thames Estuary Airport proposals will meet with representatives from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds."