London mayor Boris Johnson insists that the government will not approve a third runway at Heathrow.
He made the assertion ahead of Air Howard Davies’s Airport Commission publishing its report into airport capacity in the south-east.
Recommending a third runway at Heathrow airport will lead to “paralysis,” Johnson warned.
He said that he will “counsel” prime minister David Cameron “very strongly” against building an additional runway at Heathrow, The Telegraph reported.
He said that Cameron and chancellor George Osborne pledged that there would be no third runway in the Conservative Party manifesto in 2010.
“I think that the government will stick to that,” he said during LBC’s State of London debate.
“It is perfectly obvious to me that there is going to be an unholy mess when Sir Howard reports,” Johnson said.
“It’s going to happen fairly soon, within the next few weeks. They will plonk this great document on our desk.
“I will study the document with great care and I will reflect for about 40 seconds. If it comes out very firmly in favour of Heathrow I think that will lead to paralysis.”
A third runway at the west London hub would lead to a significant rise in the levels of noise and pollution.
He said: “I would counsel him [David Cameron] very strongly against it. David Cameron, George Osborne and I made a very clear manifesto commitment – no ifs, no buts there wouldn’t be a third runway at Heathrow. I think the government will stick to that.”
Johnson believes Stansted would be a better option despite Gatwick also being on the Airports Commission’s shortlist for expansion.