British Government Grounds Airport Plans, MP Claims

December 4, 2003

Government Grounds Airport Plans, MP Claims 
Coventry Observer, UK

THE Government has ditched controversial plans to build a new international 
airport between Coventry and Rugby, according to city MP Geoffrey Robinson.

Mr Robinson revealed this week he has been told by an “authoritative” 
Government source the proposal to bulldoze the villages of Church Lawford and 
Kings Newnham to make way for a £7 billion airport had been abandoned.

The Government looks set to finally publish the White Paper on the future of 
air travel in the UK on December 17.

But Mr Robinson said the proposal to build a new airport will not be included 
in the paper - with the expansion of Birmingham International Airport and 
possibly Stansted now favoured by transport secretary Alistair Darling.

Speaking to The Observer, the Coventry North West MP said: “I’ve heard, and 
it’s now generally understood, the plans for a Rugby airport are dead.

“Basically, there’s no hope of it getting off the ground.”

Mr Robinson, a former treasury minister who has close links with senior Labour 
figures including Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, refused to be drawn on the 
identity of his source, but added: “I would not talk in these terms unless I 
was sure the decision had already been taken.”

Mr Robinson’s revelation seems to have brought the massive campaign to stop 
the Government’s proposal to a successful conclusion.

Campaigners collected a 100,000-signature petition to fight the plans and 
raised nearly £40,000 to pay for campaign placards, posters and car stickers.

The campaign also secured the support of nearly every local council, Midland 
MPs and even the Church of England.

But Gordon Collett, chairman of the Anti-Rugby Airport Committee, refused to 
start celebrating this week and voiced his anger over the way the 
Government’s decision had become public.

“If the secretary of state can tell Geoffrey Robinson what he plans to 
announce on December 17, why can't he have the decency to let campaigners know 
instead of leaving us dangling on a piece of string,” Mr Collett said.

“We should be optimistic but not over the moon. 
“I won't be happy until I see it in black and white.”
 
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