The boss of sustainable travel company Responsible Travel has condemned a legal decision on Heathrow expansion as “utter madness”.
Founder Justin Francis pledged to join any future protests planned by activists against the building of a third runway at the London hub.
He spoke out after a High Court challenge against the government’s decision to approve plans for the £14 billion new runway was rejected yesterday.
Five local councils, environmental charities and the London mayor Sadiq Khan brought the legal action after MPs backed the plans last year.
Abta welcomed the court ruling with chief executive Mark Tanzer calling for “urgent progress” to deliver the extra airport capacity to help boost the economy.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling urged local authorities and community groups affected by the proposals to “move forward and engage closely with the planning process”.
He pointed out that Heathrow is to start a public consultation into its masterplan for the airport next month.
“This will provide an opportunity for interested parties to give their views on the emerging scheme design,” Grayling said.
“Heathrow would then apply for development consent which would be considered by the Planning Inspectorate, before a recommendation is made to government.
“Outside of the planning process, the Civil Aviation Authority will continue to work with industry and Heathrow to ensure expansion can be delivered in a timely, financeable and affordable manner that is in the best interests of the consumer.”
He defending the decision to back Heathrow expansion, which has been “ducked by other governments for decades”.
Grayling added: “The expansion of Heathrow is vital to our international connectivity and shows confidence in the future prosperity of global Britain.
“The court’s decision confirms that the right process was followed throughout. We could not be more pleased with the outcome which will benefit people and businesses the length and breadth of the UK for decades to come.”
But Francis argued: “Rejecting the science and the UK’s legally binding carbon budgets to build a third runway at Heathrow is utter madness.
“The new runway will be regarded as the worst decision ever made by the Department for Transport, and the ultimate signal that modern politics favours current generations over future ones.”
And he predicted: “It will inevitably be cancelled as the climate crisis worsens and public pressure increases. When this happens billions of taxpayer’s money will be wasted.”
Francis added: “There is a major social justice issue here. Nearly 50% of the UK population doesn’t fly. A remarkable 70% of flights are taken by just 15% of people.
“An expanded Heathrow will provide no benefit to a large proportion of our population, and yet whether we fly or not all of us, and our children and grandchildren, will suffer the consequences of global warming.
“Insanity reaches new heights when we discover that most of the beneficiaries of an expanded Heathrow won’t even be British.
“The New Economics Foundation estimates that 75% of the passengers using an expanded Heathrow by 2040 will not be from the UK. They will be international transfers.
“At Responsible Travel we vehemently oppose a third runway at Heathrow. We’ll be ready to join future protests.
“Our strategy would be to seek to reduce demand for aviation via a new Green Flying Duty, and to ring fence the money raised for research and development into electric and other de-carbonised forms of air travel.”
The independent adviser to government on climate change issues said that, while it would not be able to hit the target sooner, 2050 was still a significant – and positive – goal.
Graham Cross, chief executive of Heathrow Southern Railway Limited (HSRL) – the independent venture set up to transform the rail network serving the airport – said that progress on a southern rail link is now “even more imperative to address serious concerns on road congestion and air quality which prompted the court action”.
He added: “It is essential that new rail services to and from Heathrow are available as soon as possible to ameliorate existing overload of the road network and poor air quality generated by continuously growing numbers of users of the two runway airport whilst being in place to anticipate further growth in passenger and workforce numbers associated with the third runway.
“Our engagement with stakeholders continues to confirm their desire to see greatly enhanced rail travel opportunities for airline passengers and airport workers.”