Heathrow runway overcomes opposition of mayor, protesters

London Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, overcame an attempt by environmental groups to block construction of a third runway that it says is needed to boost flights and compete with rival hubs trying to steal its traffic. Construction can go ahead after judges on Wednesday threw out lawsuits from Friends of the Earth, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and other groups seeking to challenge the UK Government’s approval of the plan. Opponents alleged the proposal violated the UK’s climate change policy and didn’t take account of the Paris climate accord. But that agreement isn’t part of British law, even though the country has ratified it -- and this posed an “overarching difficulty” to the lawsuit, the three judges said. Though it can still be appealed, the decision reduces the risks involved with a lawsuit that could’ve become a major stumbling block for the third runway plan. If the government had lost the case, it would’ve had to start the process again, potentially causing delays and uncertainty. “We understand that these claims involve underlying issues upon which the parties -- and indeed many members of the public -- hold strong and sincere views,” the judges said in the unanimous ruling. They added that the hearing had concerned only the legality and “not the merits” of a government policy statement that approved the expansion.<br/>