Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said a third runway at Heathrow Airport is the wrong decision for London and the whole of Britain.
The government this morning announced the plans to build a third runway that will go to a full public consultation next year, with the final vote by MPS next winter.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told the House of Commons the decision was in the best interest of the country and would bolster its economy, but Mr Khan has vowed to campaign against the expansion.
He wrote on Facebook: “I will continue to challenge this decision and I am exploring how I can best be involved in any legal process over the coming months.”
Mr Khan mainly cited the air and noise pollution problems it could create for the people in the Heathrow area.
His added: “A third runway would mean an extra 200,000 people impacted, exposing 124 more schools and 43,200 more schoolchildren to an unacceptable level of noise.
“An expanded Gatwick would have boosted our economy without causing these huge air and noise pollution problems and it could be built quicker and cheaper.”
Mr Khan also questioned how transport links would be expanded to compliment the airport’s expansion.
He said to Sky News: “It will cost around £15bn to improve surface transport links to an expanded Heathrow. Who’s going to pay for that?”
Mr Khan’s statement on the London Assembly website also outlined his outrage at how he was allegedly misled when he took office as London Mayor into believing the plans for a third runway would be opposed a lot more effectively.
He said: “Just five months ago I was elected as Mayor on a clear platform of opposing a new runway at Heathrow, a position that was shared by the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and UKIP candidates in that election.”
Opposition to the approval for a third runway have also been met by Zac Goldsmith, who announced he is to resign as Richmond and North Kingston MP.
