Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Deferred
Impose air quality limits around airports and mandate measures for no net pollution increase.
Recommendation
The Government, when updating the Airports National Policy Statement, should impose air quality limits for areas surrounding airports covering all key air quality pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Having established those limits, government should require that any airport expansion is accompanied by measures to ensure no consequential net increase in air pollution including mitigating against the impact of road traffic growth surrounding airports. In response to this report, the Government must set out what measures it will put in place, including the level of pollution it deems acceptable, and how it will ensure they are met. (Recommendation, Paragraph 50)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government deflects the recommendation for air quality limits and pollution mitigation around airports by detailing its Non-CO2 Research and Development Programme and Contrails Impact Mitigation Task and Finish Group, focusing on non-CO2 climate impacts rather than local air quality.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
As part of the ANPS review, DfT is considering how the Government’s four tests for Heathrow expansion, including air quality, should be set. The review will consider changes in legislation, policy and data since the ANPS was designated in 2018 and will consider all key air quality pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The mitigations for air quality impacts will be determined as part of the review process, and if any amends are made to the existing ANPS, they will be subject to consultation in summer 2026. The Government is also reviewing, and updating as necessary, the existing Appraisal of Sustainability, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Health Impact Analysis and Equalities Impact Analysis, in line with any amendments made to the ANPS. These assessments also consider air quality impacts, and include mitigations and proposed monitoring, and will be subject to consultation alongside any amended ANPS. As noted above, any promoter will need to demonstrate how a scheme complies with the requirements set through the ANPS as part of its DCO application for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗