http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8701433.stm

Good news as there are other alternatives. The volcano showed us that we need to be less dependant on flights.

Even if the flights are needed I'm sure that a better distribution of them throughout the country would be beneficial for the UK as a whole.

If they want to make Heathrow better they should knock down terminals 1,2 & 3 and start again from scratch.

I agree, especially freight.

I prefer the use of rail for freight, personally.

I agree but lets be practical. Much of the air freight is perishables like flowers and fruit. There are also high value items like semi conductors, phones etc. There are also Just in Time components for manufacturers so are time dependant. Though much could be delivered by rail. Airlines get a huge tax benefit in tax free fuel. Whereas rail and haulage have to pay fuel duty.

Hatfield Forest, one place I do like to go, is always subservient to the background noise of aircraft taking off from Stanstead Airport (which it’s pretty much right next door to). I’m glad that it won’t be blighted by more noise from a second runway.