Gatwick Airport Station serves thousands of passengers a day (Picture: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A major UK railway station has been evacuated after thousands of commuters and holidaymakers endured rail chao…

George Galloway, former Labour MP and leader of the Workers Party of Britain (Phil Noble, Reuters)

Former MP George Galloway was detained by counter-terrorism police at Gatwick airport on Saturday, after reportedly returning from Russia.

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Being separated from my family in that way and being escorted through the airport like some kind of criminal was horrendous.

In MetroTalk: readers debate Government’s approval of new Gatwick runway, Farage’s comments on legal migrants are called into question and it tuns out that ‘patriots’ have been flying the flag the wrong way

In MetroTalk: readers debate Government’s approval of new Gatwick runway, Farage’s comments on legal migrants are called into question and it tuns out that ‘patriots’ have been flying the flag the wrong way

When a plane goes over my house in the village of Lingfield, near Gatwick, everything stops. 

The Prime Minister Keir Starmer has thrown his weight behind Gatwick Airport’s controversial second runway despite opposition from environmental campaigners.

Sir Keir spoke to Metro at Downing Street just hours after Gatwick’s plan to open its emergency runway for routine use was given a green light by the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.

Gatwick says the plan will create 14,000 jobs and inject up to £1 billion into the economy, but campaigners and residents have not been swayed.

The PM defended the decision after accusations that airport expansion projects at Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton could hit the government’s net zero targets.

Sir Keir insisted that it is possible to ‘do both’ – support growth and meet Britain’s climate targets.

When asked whether he is a climate doomer, the PM told Metro: ‘I strongly believe that we can get this right, which means we can have the expansion of the growth that we need at the same time as meeting our climate obligations, and we can do both.

‘In other words, you don’t have to choose one or the other.

‘You don’t have to sort of say to people nobody can travel in the way they want anymore.

‘I think that would be completely the wrong thing to do.

‘But at the same time we are developing our sustainable fuels and other action that will mitigate in relation to the climate.

‘So this is one of those situations where, because of the way we’ve approached it, you can actually do both – yes, allow people to travel for work, for pleasure, to go on holiday.

‘Everybody wants to do that, but at the same time, make that consistent with our climate obligations.’

He told Metro that the increased demand at Gatwick and bringing the second runway into regular use is ‘really good.’

He said that Gatwick is already ‘a huge magnet for really good, well paid jobs,’ with the second runway adding 14,000 new jobs.

Sir Keir said: ‘Obviously, as part of the package, you would expect, there are noise conditions, to make sure that it doesn’t add significantly to noise for local people.

‘And a condition that public transport must be used for over half the people going to Gatwick.

‘But look, for the people, local people for jobs, it’s really good.

‘It’s obviously great for businesses, travel, and those people who want to go on holiday because the increased size of the airport means more passengers getting through up to 80 million.’

The UK’s second busiest airport wants to add around 100,000 more flights every year, which is set to boost passenger numbers to 80 million annually.

The £2,200,000,000 project – funded privately – will see the emergency runway moved 39 feet further north so that it can be used at the same time as the main airstrip.

Meanwhile, a government source argued that giving the plan the go-ahead is ‘a no-brainer for growth’ due to ‘capacity constraints holding back business, trade and tourism.’

But campaigners are up in arms about the decision after concerns over noise, and the impact on local roads and the environment.

Green Party’s new leader Zack Polanski described the decision as a ‘disaster.’

He said: ‘It ignores basic climate science and risks undermining efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

‘Labour keeps wheeling out the same nonsense about growth, but at what cost? What this really means is more pollution, more noise for local communities, and no real economic benefit.’

Greenpeace UK’s policy director Doug Parr said it ‘smacks of desperation, completely ignoring the solid evidence that increasing air travel won’t drive economic growth.’

CAGNE, the umbrella organisation representing residents and environmental groups in the wider area, said the decision was ‘misguided.’ It said the group is standing by to launch a legal challenge.

Flights could be taking off from the second runway by 2029, Metro understands.

Stewart Wingate, the managing director for Vinci Airports, said: ‘After a lengthy and rigorous planning process, we welcome the Government’s approval of plans to bring our Northern Runway into routine use, ahead of the expected deadline. 

‘This is another important gateway in the planning process for this £2.2bn investment, which is fully funded by our shareholders and will unlock significant growth, tourism and trade benefits for London Gatwick and the UK and create thousands of jobs. 

‘As we’ve said previously, it is essential that any planning conditions enable us to realise the full benefits of the project and do not impose unnecessary constraints that make it uneconomic to invest in.  

‘We now need to carefully examine the details of the planning consent. Once we have done that, we will be able to comment further.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Gatwick Airport has had its controversial second runway plan approved, which is expected to add over 100,000 more flights a year.

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, approved Gatwick’s proposal to transform its northern emergency runway into permanent use in a bid to boost capacity.

Flights could be taking off from the second runway by 2029, Metro understands.

The project, which will be entirely privately funded, will see the northern runway moved around 39 feet to cater for more arriving and outgoing flights, and both Gatwick terminals would also be revamped and existing taxiways removelled.

Annual passenger numbers are forecast to increase to 80 million a year.

Gatwick says the proposal will add jobs and boost the economy, but campaigners have opposed the plan for years, and have raised concerns over noise and impact on roads from increase in traffic.

A government source told Metro: ‘The Transport Secretary has cleared Gatwick expansion for take-off.

‘With capacity constraints holding back business, trade and tourism, this is a no-brainer for growth.

‘This Government has taken unprecedented steps to get this done, navigating a needlessly complex planning system, which our reforms will simplify in future.

‘It is possible that planes could be taking off from a new full runway at Gatwick before the next general election.

‘Any airport expansion must be delivered in line with our legally binding climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements.’

Ms Alexander said after the decision was revealed early: ‘Expanding

‘Gatwick Airport is the right thing to do. Along with new jobs for the area, this project will bring significant national economic benefits, helping deliver our Plan for Change.’

Inside the Gatwick Airport expansion plan

Gatwick, located at the Surrey and West Sussex border, handles around 280,000 flights each year.

Permanent use of the second runway is set to increase flight capacity to around 389,000 by the 2030s.

Around 10-15 flights could take off every hour during peak periods when the northern runway is open.

The northern runway is only used in an emergency or for taxiing planes at the moment.

Currently, the main and northern airstrips are too close to each other, so the northern runway is only used when the main runway is out of action.

A chunk of the £2.2 billion pot would be used to move the northern runway by 39 feet, along with extending and revamping both terminals and existing taxiways.

The Transport Secretary’s final decision was first expected in February.

But she only gave preliminary approval for the planning application, known as ‘minded to grant consent.’

The final decision was not expected until October 27, but the letter got published ‘slightly earlier,’ a government source told Metro.

Reaction to the Gatwick expansion

Concerns were raised over traffic and noise, and its impact on the surrounding areas, which was also raised by the planning inspectorate.

It recommended extra controls and noise mitigation measures, which had to be considered before the final approval.

Hannah Lawrence, a spokesperson for Stay Grounded, a network of over 200 organisations working to cut flying, said: ‘Giving the green light to Gatwick’s second runway prioritises the profit of a few at the expense of all of us.

‘This decision will threaten – rather than create – prosperity for the people of the UK.

‘It will lead to more money flying out of the country and the infrastructure will become worthless as the climate crisis causes chaos. We need an
immediate end to airport expansion and money put into improving
sustainable transport such as trains.’

Airport expansions have been in the spotlight this year after several high-profile plans, including the Heathrow bid for a third runway.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Prepare for a snooze.

Got a city break planned?

The motorway closure is causing 60-minute delays in Surrey.

”I haven’t been out in almost a year.. I’m too scared.’

‘His career with easyJet is doomed.’

Nats refused to rule out hostile foreign action or a hack as the cause of the failure.

Holidaymakers were left in limbo.

It’s the ‘ultimate Christmas day trip’.

Some of the remains of the 261 victims have been wrongly identified before being repatriated to families in the UK

Drivers have to pay up to £7 at the UK’s busiest airports to drop off passengers (Picture: Getty Images)

Airports across the UK have hiked up their kiss-and-fly fees, with drivers facing soaring prices ahead of the summer holidays.

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One plane returned to Gatwick Airport less than hour after its takeoff.

‘Next thing, we’re not going anywhere, and we’ve got to stay in this small lounge.’

‘Next thing, we’re not going anywhere, and we’ve got to stay in this small lounge.’

It provides a new clue as to what may have happened on the doomed flight.

‘Tell us when they are going to release their bodies.’

The photo was taken moments before they boarded.

The passenger could be heard saying that the air conditioning wasn’t working either.