Will the referendum in 2013 be in favour of Heathrow Airport expansion?

The leader of the Richmond Council, Lord True, has remarked that the population of Richmond in western London would be able to express their opinion on London Heathrow Airport expansion in a referendum, which would be organised by May 2013.

The leader’s announcement emerged as the council vowed to oppose plans to enlarge the iconic Heathrow Airport after the next UK general elections in 2015. The Heathrow Airport expansion would involve construction of a third runway.

In August, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government had stated that it remained against a third runway at Heathrow Airport. There were requests, however, from some Conservative parliamentarians to rethink this stand.

The Conservative Party and the Lib Dems had campaigned against a third runway at Heathrow Airport in 2010 prior to the general elections. This policy continued after the formation of the Coalition.

But some commercial honchos and Conservative MPs have argued in favour of Heathrow Airport expansion, uttering that enhanced airport capacity is necessary to remove the UK from recession.

The UK government has already formed a commission to assess the ways in which airport capacity can be lengthened in the South East. The commission will evaluate the suggestions of all parties and, subsequently, present proposals to the UK administration.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has, however, demanded the permanent cancellation of Heathrow Airport expansion. He desires a new airport’s construction east of London.

Lord True has expressed his profound dissatisfaction with the revival of plans to expand Heathrow Airport, which will be nightmarish, as per him. He hopes that thousands of residents in the borough would vote against Heathrow Airport expansion in the referendum.

This would transport a sturdy oppositional signal to those people, who are campaigning for a third runway and amplification of flights. The UK government should not violate the promise that it made to the UK electorate in 2010.

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