Damian Green says the government police is incoherent

When plans for expansion were revealed in December's White Paper on the future of air transport, ministers said it should go ahead about 2011 or 2012.

More expansion would depend on meeting strict environmental limits.

But shadow transport secretary Damian Green accused the government of a "fudged and incoherent policy" which faced legal challenge.

"It's legitimate to question whether the government's favoured option of an early second runway at Stansted will ever come to pass," he said in a debate on the White Paper on Tuesday.

The government will not promote or pay for the development of Stansted Department for Transport spokesman

"Most of the growth at Stansted in recent years has been in low-cost flights that have done so much to increase people's opportunity to travel.

"But a new runway would mean higher charges, which may well drive away these very low-cost operators.

"And if BAA (British Airports Authority) tries to fund it with cross-subsidy from the airlines using Heathrow, we will certainly see another round of bitterly contested court cases.

"It's reasonable to question whether the commercial viability of a second runway at Stansted is there."

Labour's MP for Braintree Alan Hurst said the White Paper's proposals for Stansted airport had seemed a "gratuitous insult" to people living in the area.

He also voiced doubts about the economic viability for the airport expansion and the impact of expansion on local traffic.

A Department for Transport spokesman said they stood by the White Paper.

"The government will not promote or pay for the development of Stansted. New airport capacity should be paid for by airport users.

"We look to the airport operator to take it forward in a way that is responsive to users, and to provide necessary funding."