Meeting votes to oppose any airport plans (From The Oxford Times)

Meeting votes to oppose any airport plans

9:30am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News

OXFORD City Council has opposed the idea of a new airport in north-west Oxfordshire.

At a full meeting of the city council on Monday, a motion opposing the idea an airport could be built in the county to take the pressure off Heathrow received cross-party support.

The vote comes after Government plans to provide extra airport capacity were announced.

Options included a new airport in Oxfordshire or Berkshire, as an alternative to building a third runway at Heathrow.

The Green Party motion was backed by Labour councillors, but the group and council leader Bob Price questioned the need for it.

He said: “I don’t think anyone ever saw it as a likely way forward. An airport in north west Oxfordshire has never been seen by anyone as a realistic option.

“Nobody was very keen to have it for obvious reasons, which is why the motion was supported.”

He said other options which involved the expansion of other airports should be explored.

He said: “Everyone I have spoken to is unconvinced by the arguments for a third runway at Heathrow but recognise the need for further landing space.

“They have to look at expansion of existing airports, like Birmingham, Stansted, Gatwick, all of those would be more suitable.”

Green group leader David Williams said: “A Heathrow-sized airport in Oxfordshire would be a disaster. It is unnecessary, environmentally damaging, and would bring greater pollution and disturbance to the area.”

And Lib Dem leader Jean Fooks described the idea of another airport in Oxfordshire as “totally daft”.

She said: “We understand that people are going to fly, but we all know that a north west Oxfordshire airport is not a good idea.”