Heathrow expansion is a big concern for TfL
Transcription
Heathrow expansion is a big concern for TfL
2 news news Pages 1 to 19 Care home changes after resident’s death page 5 RT2 Pages 25 to 28 No more heroes page 25 rttimes.co.uk Friday, April 3, 2015 facebook.com/rttimes 020 8744 4200 Bomb scare in main road is a false alarm An ‘abuse of trust’ A main road in East Sheen was closed on Tuesday after the discovery of an unexploded bomb, which later turned out to be a piece of scrap metal. Upper Richmond Road West was closed between Clifford Avenue and Sheen Lane at about 4pm on March 31 and re-opened shortly before 4.40pm. Police, firefighters and ambulance crews attended and bus routes 33, 337 and 493 were subject to diversion and delays while the incident was investigated. People posted on Twitter, stating a “suspicious object” had been dug up in the area, with some residents stating a suspected unexploded World War II bomb had been found. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the incident was a “security alert” and was unable to issue further details. Heathrow expansion is a big concern for TfL Laura Proto laura.proto @london.newsquest.co.uk Transport for London (TfL) has raised “serious concerns” about congestion and the costs of expansion at Heathrow, just weeks before the Airports Commission’s final recommendation is due. TfL said both the airport and the commission had “significantly underestimated” the challenge of improving transport access to the site, with the Airports Commission estimating £5bn would be enough to make the improvements. But TfL believes that, to provide an optimal level of service, the figure would be nearer to £20bn, raising questions about who would pay the additional costs. The commission said building a third runway and its related assets would cost £18.5bn, excluding surface access. A population growth of 37 per cent by 2050 has also not Expansion: A picture of Heathrow with the proposed third runway Picture: Heathrow Airports Limited been taken into account in regards to the increased pressure on London’s roads and public transport infrastructure, TfL said. The commission acknowledged that if the west London airport did expand, passengers would experience “very crowded conditions during peak times”, but TfL said it had underestimated the demand for surface access in 2030 by 25 per cent. Daniel Moylan, the Mayor of London’s chief adviser of aviation, said: “The Airports Commission’s assessment of the surface access impacts for an expanded Heathrow does not extend beyond 2030 and assumes a third runway to be barely a quarter full, which is not credible for an airport currently operating at more than 98 per cent capacity. “With that in mind, it is hardly surprising that the commission has woefully underestimated the associated surface access cost by more than £10bn.” TfL’s concerns were aired in a letter to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Heathrow and the wider economy. Zac Goldsmith, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park and north Kingston, MP and chairman of the APPG, said: “TfL is better placed than any other organisation to understand the effects Heathrow expansion will have on London’s transport network, and it is extraordinary, therefore, that the commission never bothered to ask for its assessment.” To read TfL’s response in full, visit heathrowappg.com/ tfl-response-to-appg-on-surface -access. Continued from front page Judge McCreath added there was a “serious abuse of trust” as the child victim was living in a residential home to be cared for. He added a third aggravating factor in the case was the age difference between the victim and McSweeney. Judge McCreath said: “There is no such thing as a trivial sexual assault of a child. How could there be? There are sexual assaults that are worse than that described in count one but that is not to create some sort of hierarchy.” Taking into account mitigating factors, Judge McCreath said it would be “unfair” and “unbalanced” to disregard McSweeney had been a conscientious priest in “almost all” aspects of his calling. He said: “Although all of this was brought upon him himself, the fact remains the effect upon him as a priest is devastating.” Along with his prison sentence, McSweeney was given a sexual harm prevention order. McSweeney showed no emotion throughout the hearing and arrived unshaven and with a small bag to take with him down to the cells. After a trial last month, McSweeney, of Old Brighton Road North, Pease Pottage, Crawley, was acquitted on three other charges of indecent assault on boys under the age of 16 and one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child. Sport Constituency candidates all set to face the public Pages 38 to 40 Beware the Cottagers page 40 CONTACTS Calls may be monitored for training purposes Richmond Park and Twickenham constituency candidates for this year’s general election will face the public at a combined hustings event next week. Richmond Chamber of Commerce will host the evening on Friday, April 10, with the five candidates for each constituency due to answer questions from business owners and the public. The event starts with welcome drinks before the Richmond Park constituency candidates – Conservative Zac Goldsmith, Robin Meltzer of the Liberal Democrats, Labour’s Sachin Patel, Andree Frieze of the Green Party and UKIP’s Sam Naz – answer questions. After a short break, the Twickenham constituency candidates – Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, Tania Mathias of the Conservatives, Labour’s Nick Grant, Tanya Williams of the Green Party and UKIP’s Barry Edwards – will face the audience. Anne Newton, the chief Goldsmith Meltzer Frieze Cable EDITORIAL DISTRIBUTION drankin@london.newsquest.co.uk Tel: 020 8722 6328 delivery@london.newsquest.co.uk Tel: 0844 4774568 Editor: David Rankin RT Times: 41,875 Newspaper deliveries Patel Naz executive of Richmond Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is the perfect opportunity to question all candidates for the two constituencies incorporated within the borough. “The chamber of commerce is a neutral organisation. However, we feel it is important that businesses and the community have the opportunity to ask the questions they need to inform their voting.” The evening will be chaired by radio and television presenter Paddy O’Connell. The hustings take place at Richmond Adult Community College, Parkshot, Richmond, from 5.30pm to 9.30pm. For tickets, visit richmond chamberofcommerce.co.uk. 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