12:54pm Monday 29th October 2007
By Roz Tappenden
SHADOW Environment Secretary Peter Ainsworth says a future Conservative Government would not allow a new runway to be built at Gatwick.
The East Surrey MP made his pledge at the annual meeting of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign.
Construction of a new runway before 2019 has already been ruled out but BAA is expected to begin compiling an interim master plan in 2011.
Mr Ainsworth said the Conservatives would press for air travel to be included in the forthcoming climate change bill and said an increase in airport capacity was not compatible with reducing emissions.
Mr Ainsworth also commented on rumours that the airport may be sold by its Spanish owners, Ferrovial. He said: "It would be a brave or foolish person who contemplated building new runways when a change of government would lead to a change of policy."
GACC chairman Brendon Sewill said: "This statement was timely, coming on the day that President Sarkozy announced, as part of his climate change plan for France, that there would be no new investment in French airports.
"The Ainsworth pledge puts another nail in the coffin of the doomed Gatwick runway.
"We will be bringing his statement to the attention of BAA/Ferrovial, and sending it to the Competition Commission and to the Transport Select Committee which are both studying the future of BAA."
The meeting was held at Gatwick Manor Hotel, on the line where a future runway would be built.
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