Airports (Development) (Hansard, 27 July 1971)

§ Mr. Noble

When the third London airport becomes operational the new capacity can be used so as to give the74W maximum benefit to those around existing airports who suffer from noise, as well as providing for the future growth in air traffic in the region after 1980.

It is the Government's intention to continue to provide for the development of civil aviation and to maintain Britain's share in the international field. The Government recognise that investment will therefore be necessary to improve facilities for the growing number of passengers at some existing airports in the period up to 1980.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will consider on their merits any planning applications which may come before him either on appeal or direction, having regard to aviation, environmental, noise and other relevant considerations.

Both he and I consider that the British Airports Authority and the Luton Corporation should bear in mind the following considerations when planning their investment programmes between now and 1980.

First, the Government do not consider that it will be necesary to construct any new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted in the foreseeable future. It is therefore proposed to abandon the safeguarding of the line of the possible second runway at Gatwick.

Secondly, the Government foresee the need for Heathrow and Gatwick to continue as major airports serving the London area for the foreseeable future but expect that it will be possible after 1980 to impose stricter limits on air traffic movements and to apply other restraints at these airports to reduce the impact of noise.

Thirdly, the Government foresee the possibility of dispensing with Stansted as a public transport airport, and possibly closing it altogether when the third London airport becomes operational.

Fourthly, the Government do not foresee a need for Luton to continue to be a major public transport airport serving the London area once the third London airport is available to accommodate the services now using Luton. The Government expect that the powers contained in the Civil Aviation Bill now before Parliament would then be used to restrict severely the hours and the routeings which might be used by public transport aircraft there. 75W It will then be for the airport management and the airline operators to consider whether movement facilities then remaining available at Luton would be sufficient to justify keeping the airport in use for public transport. As regards the period before 1980, I propose to initiate discussions with Luton Corporation when this Bill becomes law, to see whether further measures to reduce noise can be introduced in the short term.