The transport secretary has said she is “not a flight-shaming eco warrior” ahead of her decision over whether Gatwick airport will be allowed to expand. Speaking at an industry event on Tuesday, Heidi Alexander said she enjoyed flying and valued aviation’s role in the economy and growth. A decision is expected later this week on whether the airport in West Sussex can expand its operations to two simultaneously functioning runways. The expansion plans are controversial and some MPs, local authorities and residents are strongly opposed due to a number of concerns including noise levels. If given the green light, Gatwick says the additional runway will enable an extra 50,000 departing flights a year, by the end of the 2030s. Alexander said the government would do “all we can to support the sector and take the brakes off growth”.
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