LONDON (AP) – Britain’s government is expected Tuesday to back a plan to expand London’s Heathrow airport despite concerns about air pollution, noise and the destruction of homes in the capital’s densely populated western neighborhoods.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will inform Parliament of the government’s decision on how to expand London’s airport capacity. The options include building a third runway at Heathrow, extending an existing runway there, or building a second runway at Gatwick Airport, south of London.
The decision is only the first step, though. The government’s recommendation will be studied further and Parliament will vote in about a year.
Most analysts expect the government to back one of the Heathrow options.
Anti-expansion groups gathered in the village of Harmondsworth, near Heathrow and in Crawley, near Gatwick, to await the news. Neil Keveran has campaigned against Heathrow expansion for years and plans to fight on – even if the government goes for the third runway.