Third runway would 'drive coach and horses' through mayor's green plans

Boris Johnson urges London assembly to join him in opposing controversial expansion of airport
Hélène Mulholland
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 16 December 2008 14.27 GMT

Boris Johnson warned today that a third runway at Heathrow airport would "drive a coach and horses" through his plans to reduce London's carbon emissions by 60% by 2025.
The mayor used a question-and-answer session with the London assembly on his draft budget to urge assembly members to join him in opposing the controversial airport expansion.
"I hope you will all join me in deprecating this government's plans to build a third runway, which would drive a coach and horses through our attempts to reduce C02 emissions," he told John Biggs, the deputy leader of the Labour assembly group.
Johnson made his comments after being grilled on the lack of targets for reducing C02 emissions for each of the functional bodies under his control – Transport for London, the London Development Agency, the fire and emergency planning authority, and the Metropolitan police authority.
Johnson has kept the target of reducing carbon emissions by 2025 set by his predecessor, Ken Livingstone.
Asked how Londoners would be able to judge his success if targets were not set for the four functional bodies, Johnson told the cross-party budget committee: "I think they will judge our success by our ability to persuade this government not to go ahead this crazy plan and they will judge you by your bravery in opposing this hysterical government plan."
Johnson used his Daily Telegraph column today to laud Hilary Benn, the environment secretary, for comments made over the weekend in which he raised concerns about breaching EU pollution limits if the expansion goes ahead.
The third runway proposal has divided Gordon Brown's cabinet. Benn's warnings on breaching EU pollution laws were followed by Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, arguing for a bigger Heathrow.
A decision on the third runway has been delayed until early next year, with rumours circulating that Geoff Hoon, the transport secretary, may opt for relaxing regulations on the two existing Heathrow runways rather than give the go-ahead to a third.
Johnson used his article to cast doubt on Conservative plans to push for high-speed rail links into Heathrow to curb the need for domestic flights, as he defended the popularity of air travel.
Johnson wrote: "High-speed rail should certainly be part of the mix, but it is not enough on its own. The reality is that the recession will end, and when that ends we need to be able to compete in the long term with other capitals whose main airports have four, five or six runways."
He pressed the case for an airport site in the Thames estuary, which he said would present a minimal threat to bird life, "or north Kent marginal seats", which could be connected to London by high speed rail.
Johnson's deputy, Sir Simon Milton, told the assembly earlier today that the GLA could not deliver the 60% reduction target alone. "It is a target which both the previous mayor and this mayor recognises by joint action with government policies, business and individuals and therefore you will not see targets in functional bodies' business plans."
The GLA was monitoring the carbon usage of all parts of the organisation that fall under Johnson's watch, he added.