Tories 'would scrap third Heathrow runway'

PA
Monday, 29 September 2008

The Tories would scrap plans for a third runway at Heathrow and instead build a £20 billion high speed rail line between London and Leeds, it emerged today.


Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said that the Conservatives wanted to cut more than 66,000 flights a year at the west London airport.

Rather than building a third runway, they would install an entirely new railway line running at speeds of up to 180mph between St Pancras, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

It is hoped that the new line would encourage travellers to take the train rather than fly.

As well as reducing demand for domestic flights it would entice people onto the Eurostar, now based at St Pancras, who want to get to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, the Tories expect.

It would also allow more commuter journeys between smaller towns on the West Coast Mainline.

Ms Villiers told The Guardian: "This is a seriously green decision.

"A few years ago it would have been inconceivable for the leader of the Conservative Party to say 'no' to a third runway and putting the brakes on Heathrow expansion."