Risk Assessment

Two contrasting stories, both in the Sunday Times.

First that a full risk assessment for the proposed Third Runway at Heathrow Airport has not been carried out.

"Under the plans for Heathrow’s expansion, Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, intends to sandwich one of the busiest runways in the world between the elevated M25/M4 junction to the west and the residential area of Harlington to the east.

It emerged last week that the motorway junction, 650 yards from the end of the proposed runway, will be in the crash landing zone or “public safety zone” where there is an accepted higher risk of an accident.

Kelly’s department failed to include maps showing this zone in the consultation documents, which critics say would have caused uproar.

Department for Transport (DfT) officials have already been accused of fixing the evidence in favour of a third runway.

“It’s ridiculous to put a runway so close to a major motorway junction and residential areas,” said Geraldine Nicholson, who lives adjacent to the junction and chairs the No Third Runway Action Group.

“They are wanting to put this runway in one of the most built-up areas in Britain and we’re being told they haven’t even yet carried out a detailed risk assessment. It’s crazy.”

Second that, a risk assessment for lighting a 3 inch birthday candle was required at St Pancras Station.

"The station, which was opened as the Eurostar terminus last year, said the champagne bar was right to have demanded a risk assessment because of the potential danger from a naked flame. If permission had been granted, a spokesman said, a fire extinguisher would have had to be on stand-by in case the candle burnt out of control."

Priorities?