BBC News
By Roger Harrabin
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Environmentalists are using the law to hound the government to force infrastructure plans into line with its climate change commitments.
Ministers are facing a fusillade of legal challenges on airports, energy and roads.
And now they have been threatened with new legal action unless their airports strategy reflects the drive towards a zero-emissions economy.
A separate legal challenge to the government s road building strategy from campaign group Transport Action Network is already under way.
Earlier this week, campaigners won a battle to force ministers to review their energy policy statement so it reflects climate concerns.
The legal team which challenged Heathrow s expansion plans has called for a judicial review of government road policy and its climate impact.
The Transport Action Network (Tan) has applied for a judicial review of how the Department for Transport s (DfT s) current road policies contribute to the climate impact of the UK’s transport emissions.
Tan is represented by Leigh Day solicitors, David Wolfe QC and Pete Lockley. Its new case focuses on the 2014 National Policy Statement for National Networks which Tan claims effectively “bans campaigners, planning inspectors and judges from considering the carbon emissions of individual road schemes.”
The policy statement notes that because the government has “a credible plan for meeting carbon budgets [.] any increase in carbon emissions is not a reason to refuse [road] development”.