Cross Party Support For Gatwick Expansion

Councillors unanimously agree to support the case for expansion at Gatwick

At the weekly full council meeting the following motion was agreed upon.

The airports motion reads as follows:

This Council:

(a) congratulates Wandsworth and other members of the cross-party 2M Alliance of London Boroughs for their continued opposition to Heathrow’s expansion, which would deliver a devastating blow to hundreds of thousands of Londoners whose lives would be blighted by noise and pollution;

(b) should continue its active programme of engagement with local people to ensure that the social and environmental consequences of expansion at Heathrow including noise, air pollution and road traffic impacts, are understood, and that the concerns of residents continue to be brought to the attention of Sir Howard Davies;

Reflecting on the recent decision by the Airports Commission to disregard the

Estuary option, this Council:

(c) accepts the economic case for an increase in the nation’s aviation capacity, and agrees that opening up additional air routes to other parts of the globe is good for growth and good for the UK economy;

(d) supports the view of the overwhelming majority of our residents, who have told us loud and clear that expansion of Gatwick is the only credible option to deliver the badly needed expansion of airport capacity in the south east;

(e) believes that Wandsworth could have much to gain from Gatwick’s expansion, driving growth with investment in rail services through south London into the heart of Battersea. Most importantly, it can do this without the environmental baggage associated with a bigger, busier and much more polluting Heathrow; and

(f) asks the Leader of the Council to work closely with other south London local authorities to maximise these benefits for Londoners.

October 19, 2014