If you have been keeping up to date with what is going on at Heathrow Airport in recent months, you will know that the argument over whether there should be a third runway has been going on for some time.
But it would appear that although some thought the runway may finally be axed, things have now swung in the opposite direction.
Fresh support for the proposed runway has now arrived in the form of businesses that are based in London. It has long been argued that the third runway would be a good thing for the city, despite the significant upheavals it would cause to those living closest to the airport.
But businesses think otherwise. They believe that the economic advantages of having another runway would outweigh everything else. There would be clear benefits of course, since the airport could handle more planes and more business instead of losing it to other countries and locations.
But does this really outrank the lives of those people living closest to the airport itself? And where do environmental concerns fit in?
As far as the latter point is concerned, the businesses who offered this view stipulated that environmental targets regarding pollution and the associated carbon footprint must still be met if the runway was to be built. But of course however you adjust the figures it is obvious that more planes means more pollution. You can’t help but think that the businesses in question may have a different view if they were situated much closer to the airport itself – or perhaps resided there.
So while there has not yet been a firm and final decision on the runway, it would appear that it has just taken one big step closer to actually happening. Those opposed to the plan are understandably upset by this revelation, and they will presumably keep on fighting to try and prevent it from happening. In the end though, it is hard to see how environmental targets can be met when the government could well agree to give the runway the go ahead.
It could be some time yet before that final decision is made and it all becomes a moot point. But even at this stage it is still hard to see which way this is going to go. There has been plenty of drama already – and there could be more to come yet as well.