An MP who backed the Coalition’s banning of a third runway at Heathrow has been named as the new transport secretary.
Justine Greening will take charge of the government’s aviation policy review in place of Philip Hammond who has taken over as defence secretary in a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Liam Fox.
Greening, MP for Putney in southwest London moves from the position of junior minister at the Treasury.
She is seen as a key figure in campaigns against a third runway at the London hub and was pictured last year toasting a High Court ruling that blocked the move.
Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways/Iberia parent International Airlines Group, reportedly raised concerns that Greening faces a “conflict of interest” because her constituency is under the Heathrow flight-path.
On her website, Greening describes the government’s scrapping of plans for a third runway at Heathrow as “really fantastic news”.
“Aircraft noise and pollution from Heathrow are still a concern for many residents though, and I will continue to raise these concerns with BAA to make sure our views are taken into account,” she says.
Meanwhile, Walsh will write to the Greening this week calling on the government to scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD).
The letter will call on the government to launch a study on the value of Heathrow as a hub airport, according to weekend reports.
The lack of airport expansion will also mean that “France and Germany are carving up valuable trade routes as UK stifles growth with a poll tax on doing business”, the letter is expected to say.
Tourism and aviation leaders have written to tourism minister John Penrose after he claimed that APD was just an “annoyance”.
“We contest the assertion that APD is merely an ‘annoyance’ – it is having a damaging impact on UK tourism,” the letter says. “We would point to numerous sources of evidence that indicate that inbound tourism has been suffering in recent years, partly a result of the UK having such exceptionally – and internationally unprecedented – high levels of aviation taxes.”
The letter is signed by Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer, Airport Operators Association chief executive Darren Caplan and Brett Arscott, sales director at Ramada Jarvis Hotels.