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Aviation Update
27 February 2020
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department for Transport
At a Glance
Issue Summary
The statement addresses the Court of Appeal's ruling on Heathrow Airport expansion and its implications for future aviation policy in Britain.
Action Requested
The Government will not appeal the judgment but will carry out a review under the Planning Act 2008. It remains committed to investing in transport infrastructure, including HS2 and £5bn for bus and cycle services outside London, while working with the sector to meet climate change targets through research and technology.
Key Facts
- The Court of Appeal ruled that the previous Government did not account for the Paris Agreement, non-CO2 emissions, and post-2050 emissions when designating the Airports National Policy Statement.
- Heathrow expansion is a private sector project subject to strict criteria on air quality, noise, climate change, and being privately financed.
- The aviation sector supports connections to over 370 overseas destinations in more than 100 countries.
- Aviation contributes £95.2bn to UK’s non-EU trade exports, at least £14bn directly to GDP, and supports over half a million jobs.
- The Government is investing nearly £2 billion into aviation research and technology.
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