Heathrow doesn't need third runway says top travel agent

A leading chain of travel agents has come out firmly against the proposed third runway at Heathrow.

The Co-operative Travel, which has 400 high-street stores and sells more than £1billion of holidays every year, says instead of the extra runway the aviation industry must improve existing services and technology.

This is the first time a travel agency has joined the protests and is likely to cause the Prime Minister discomfort.

Gordon Brown gave a strong hint to MPs last week that the Government intended to approve the third runway at the end of the year. He said: "We can't afford to duck a decision about the future of airports. That's why it is right to go ahead with airport expansion."

But Mike Greenacre, managing director of The Co-operative Travel, said that a line had to be "drawn in the sand" for new runways and that a third runway would increase traffic congestion around Heathrow.

Mr Greenacre said: "A third runway at Heathrow and other new runway proposals conflict with the UK's targets to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.

"If the industry can demonstrate that it is able to grow without increasing its emissions, such growth, we believe, would be best accommodated at existing UK regional airports.

"Ultimately, a line in the sand has to be drawn for new runways in the UK."

Jason Torrance, campaigns director at Campaign for Better Transport - a pressure group which conducted " indepth analysis of projected airline growth" with The Co-operative Travel - said the chain had "thrown down a challenge to the travel industry to put rhetoric about the need to tackle climate change into action".

Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, founder director of Forum for the Future, added: "It's great to see a business squarely facing up to the sustainability challenges inherent in aviation and holiday travel."

Current proposals are for another runway and a sixth terminal to be built at Heathrow by 2020.

Business Secretary John Hutton was accused of turning the current consultation-about the third runway into a "sham" after he said at Farnborough Air Show on 14 July that "British business would not forgive us if we shirked our responsibility because we wanted an easy ride from green lobby groups".

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker said Mr Hutton "let slip what we knew all along - the consultation for a third runway at Heathrow is a sham", and accused the Government of being "like a subsidiary" of airport owner BAA.

TRAVEL DELAYS THIS WEEKEND

Chiltern Railways: suspended between Marylebone and Amersham on Saturday and Sunday - service replaced by buses.

First Capital Connect: services on Saturday and Sunday reduced to half-hourly between Bedford and Kentish Town/St Pancras. Trains between Blackfriars and Herne Hill replaced by buses.

First Great Western: buses replace trains between Reading and Newbury/Bedwyn from 11pm Saturday and during Sunday.

London Overground: buses replace trains between Gunnersbury and Camden Road and between Hackney Wick and Stratford on Saturday and Sunday. Southeastern: Trains between Blackfriars and Sevenoaks diverted to start and finish at Victoria; bus replacement service between Denmark Hill and Herne Hill.

South West Trains: buses replace trains between Virginia Water and Weybridge on Saturday and Sunday.

West Coast Main Line: from 11am Saturday until 11am Sunday a bus replacement service will operate between Coventry and Northampton. Travellers should add an hour to journey times.

Southern: On Saturday and Sunday, Victoria to Tattenham Corner trains will terminate at Purley. Buses replace trains between Purley and Tattenham Corner. Saturday only, Watford Junction to Brighton via Kensington Olympia services will start and finish at Victoria in both directions; London Bridge to Smitham services will terminate at East Croydon.

Sunday only, Watford Junction to Clapham Junction services will start and finish at Kensington Olympia in both directions.

Circle line: suspended on Sunday between Baker Street and King's Cross.

Hammersmith and City line: suspended from Edgware Road to Barking on Sunday.

Jubilee line: no service on Saturday or Sunday between North Greenwich and Stratford.

Metropolitan line: on Saturday and Sunday, suspended between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford/Amersham/Chesham. On Sunday, suspended between Baker Street and Aldgate.