Spotlight: British gov't backs third runway at London's Heathrow, but major challenges looms

The long-running saga of extra air capacity for Britain's capital city was settled Tuesday when Theresa May's government backed a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Business leaders and major airlines welcomed the decision which came decades after a major expansion at Europe's busiest airport was first put forward.

Opponents immediately said they will fight to make sure the 20 billion U.S. dollar project never gets off the ground.

After the Brexit referendum, Heathrow is the next big issue for the British government, with some commentators saying Tuesday is likely to be a big issue in the 2020 general election.

The Conservatives hold power with a narrow working majority of just 16 seats, with a number of MPs belonging to the party already vowing to oppose the Heathrow plan.

That could drop to 15 with the cheerleader among the Conservative critics, Zac Goldsmith, one of the party's rising stars, planning to resign. He plans to stand in a by-election in Richmond Park hoping to win back his Commons seat as an anti-Heathrow candidate.

Foreign Secretary, the former mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has also said he will oppose the expansion of Heathrow.

The man who succeeded Johnson as mayor of London, Labour's Sadiq Khan, also emerged as another big opponent of the government decision.

Khan accused Theresa May's government of "running roughshod over Londoners' views".

The mayor described it the wrong decision for London and the whole of Britain.

Just weeks after issuing a report saying air pollution prematurely kills thousands of Londoners every year, Khan said: "A new runway at Heathrow will be devastating for air quality across London. Air pollution around the airport is already above legal levels of NO2."

"Heathrow already exposes more people to aircraft noise than Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Munich and Madrid combined. A third runway would mean an extra 200,000 people impacted, exposing 124 more schools and 43,200 more schoolchildren to an unacceptable level of noise," he added.

Khan, who favored an expansion at London Gatwick said he would continue to challenge the Heathrow decision.

Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell also attacked the decision, saying: "4,000 homes face the prospect of either being demolished or rendered unliveable by air pollution and noise. This means 8,000 to 10,000 people being forcibly removed from their homes."

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said the main opposition Labour party welcomed any decision that will finally give certainty on airport expansion, much needed in terms of investment and growth in the country.

Although government support for a third runway at Heathrow had been trailed, its official announcement was greeted with dismay in towns and villages that will be affected.

One village will be completely wiped off the map while at least another three will be reduced in size.

In one of the worst villages to be hit, Harmondsworth, people openly wept at hearing the news. Half of the ancient village will be demolished, with villagers saying they feel betrayed and determined to fight the plans.

Earlier Prime Minister Theresa May gave her official backing to the Heathrow scheme, one of three options put to the government.

May said:"Airport expansion is vital for the economic future of the whole of the UK and today also provides certainty to Londoners. Businesses will know that we are building the infrastructure they need to access global markets."

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling broke the news Tuesday that after years of uncertainty, the government was throwing its weight behind Heathrow.

In the House of Commons Tuesday afternoon, Grayling, describing the decision as momentous for the country, announced what he said was a long overdue decision.

He told MPs: "The UK currently has the third-largest aviation network in the world, second only to the U.S. and China and contributing over 22 billion pounds (26.81 billion U.S.dollars) to British GDP.

"Heathrow is the busiest two-runway airport in the world and Gatwick the busiest single runway airport. The London system will be almost entirely full by 2030, with the exception of a small amount of capacity at Luton, and that will be taken up soon afterwards.

"If we do nothing, the cost to our nation is significant, amounting to more than 20 billion pounds over 60 years through delays, fewer flights and passengers having to fly from airports elsewhere."

Grayling said Heathrow will deliver the greatest economic and strategic benefits to the country's economy. It strengthens connectivity for passengers right across Britain.

The issue of runway capacity in the south-east is one that has challenged successive administrations for decades.

MPs will next year vote in a national policy statement, and if that hurdle is cleared Heathrow will put forward detailed plans. Endit