Category: Information Library

78% of firms oppose expansion at Heathrow. A survey released last month by the London Chamber of Commerce shows there is little demand amongst businesses in London for further expansion at Heathrow (1). Continue reading “Future Heathrow’s Arguments Flounder in Face of Chamber of Commerce Survey”

9.55am Update — The first arrests have been made in a new wave of direct action against airport expansion. Continue reading “First arrests in new wave of direct action against airport expansion”

Transport Minister Derek Twigg announced today (1) that the Government consultation on its plans to end runway alternation at Heathrow, originally expected this month, has been postponed until the Autumn. Continue reading “Minister Announces Heathrow Runway Alternation Consultation Postponed until the Autumn”

MPs to Seek Meeting with European Commissioner “This could be the report that sinks the 3rd runway at Heathrow”

A new report launched yesterday in the House of Commons has prompted a cross-party group of MPs (1) to seek an urgent meeting in Brussels with the European Commissioner for the Environment. Continue reading “New Report: Government May Already be Acting Illegally over Air Pollution Limits at Heathrow”

Karen Buck quits weeks before controversial announcements expected on night flights and runway alternation Continue reading “Aviation Minister Resigns”

Employees at Heathrow have been issued with ‘free-post’ postcards to mail to their local councillors urging them to support the expansion of Heathrow. The move has been exposed by anti-expansion campaign group HACAN ClearSkies after it was contacted by employees who were furious at being given the postcards

The blue cards, entitled “Future Heathrow – supporting sustainable growth” (1), have been issued by IATA (the International Air Transport Association). HACAN ClearSkies revealed that British Airways has close connections with IATA. BA’s new Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, sits on its Board of Governors.

One employee told HACAN ClearSkies (2), “Many of us are spitting mad that we have been given these postcards. We are furious that the aviation industry is spending money on them when they should be investing their time and money on quieter and cleaner planes — that is the real way to guarantee a good future for the industry and the people who work in it.”

HACAN ClearSkies Chair John Stewart said, “Employees are right to be upset about these postcards. You can’t help feeling that the aviation industry is trying to use its employees. Further expansion at Heathrow will certainly increase the profits of the industry. Whether it is necessary to prevent redundancies at the airport is much more doubtful.

ENDS

(1). Text of postcard below

(2). All the employees have expressed the desire to remain anonymous.

For more information:

John Stewart on 020 7737 6641 or 07957385650

================================

The cards read:

Future Heathrow
IATA
Central House
Lampton Road
HOUNSLOW
TW3 1HY

Dear Councillor,

I know that some of your constituents complain about noise and pollution from Heathrow. I accept that is a problem and it affects me as much as other residents but please think of the jobs and prosperity that will go if Heathrow does not continue to be a success.
There are many thousands of us who work at Heathrow or have friends and relatives whose jobs depend on the Airport.

The Government has said that Heathrow can only have a third runway if it meets stringent noise and pollution controls. I accept that and I hope that others will too. In listening to these arguments I ask you to remember that my job depends on Heathrow’s success, which in turn depends on Heathrow being allowed to grow.

If Heathrow is not allowed to grow, it will slip from being Europe’s second largest airport in terms of number of destinations served in 1990 to Europe’s eight largest airport in 2010, causing thousands of British jobs to be exported overseas.

Heathrow can either expand or decline. It cannot stay as it is.

The decline of Heathrow would be very damaging for employment and the local economy and as one of the key decision makers I would ask to take this into account when deciding your policy towards the Airport.

Yours faithfully,

[Box for Name:]

[Box for Company:]

[Box for Ward/Borough:]

[Box for Address/Post Code:]

Following a budget deal agreed with Green Party members of the London Assembly, the Mayor of London has agreed to fund the fight against a third runway at Heathrow. £80,000 will be spent on projects to highlight the health, noise and economic impacts of aviation expansion. The projects were developed by campaigning groups HACAN ClearSkies and NOTRAG (No Third Runway Action Group), which are leading the efforts against Heathrow expansion

The projects include:
• Research into the damage to health caused by airport noise and air pollution;
• A report illustrating how airplane noise has become a problem over wide areas of London, as flightpaths change;
• An economic analysis challenging the justifications for a new runway and demonstrating the hidden costs (such as extra noise, pollution, traffic congestion).
The research will be carried out during the course of this year.
Darren Johnson, Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented:
“A third runway at Heathrow would have devastating impacts in terms of noise, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. We are delighted to have secured an agreement with the Mayor to fund projects that will demonstrate the case against Heathrow expansion quite clearly.”
John Stewart, chair of HACAN ClearSkies, commented:
“This money will be hugely important in our fight against airport expansion at Heathrow. It means we can commission serious research to challenge the arguments given for more expansion.”
Geraldine Nicholson, chair of NOTRAG, commented:
“This will mean we can concentrate our efforts and funds at the grassroots level while experts carry out the important research we need to persuade the government that expansion at Heathrow is not an option now or in the future.”
Notes for Editors

1. The projects are part of a list of commitments made by the Mayor in order to gain support from the Green Party for his final budget, in response to 33 Green demands. For further information on the budget agreement, contact Ian Wingrove, Green Group Press Officer: 020 7983 4424/ 07795 616812 / Ian.Wingrove@london.gov.uk
2. HACAN ClearSkies is a lobbying group which campaigns for quieter, cleaner and safer conditions for residents living under Heathrow’s flight paths. John Stewart, chair of HACAN, can be contacted on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650. Further information is available at http://www.hacan.org.uk/
3. NOTRAG (No Third Runway Action Group) is an alliance of residents associations from Heathrow and the surrounding areas who oppose any further expansion of Heathrow Airport outside of its present boundaries. Further information is available at http://www.notrag.org.uk/ or 020 8759 1677.

ENDS