Category: Latest news

Five Mayoral candidates to address ‘biggest ever’ rally against Heathrow Third Runway

Press Release

7/10/15 for immediate use

 Five Mayoral candidates to address ‘biggest ever’ rally against Heathrow Third Runway

10th October. Parliament Square. 10.30am. Speakers start 11am.  Finish by 12.30pm

All the candidates to succeed Boris Johnson as Mayor of London from the main political parties will speak at a mass rally against a third runway at Heathrow to be held on 10th October in Parliament Square, opposite the Houses of Parliament.  They will be joined by speakers from the local community and from leading environmental organizations.   The rally, which organizers believe will be the ‘biggest ever’ against Heathrow expansion, will take place just weeks before David Cameron is expected to make an announcement on a new runway for London and the South East.    At present the Cabinet is looking at the recommendation of the Airports Commission that the runway should be built at Heathrow.  However, over recent months, the owners of Gatwick have continued to make the case for a second runway at their airport.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the campaign group which is one of the main organizers of the rally, said, “Thousands are expected to send a clear message to the Prime Minister that they will fight any decision to give the green light to a new runway at Heathrow.  And the message from all the key Mayoral candidates is equally clear.  They stand united on this issue.  They are all firmly against a third runway.”

Notes for Editors:

 The full list of confirmed speakers is (running order yet to be finalised):

John Stewart, Chair HACAN (to welcome and introduce)

John McDonnell Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington

Zac Goldsmith MP for Richmond and North Kingston (and Conservative Mayoral candidate)

Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting (and Labour Mayoral candidate)

Sian Berry, Green Party Mayoral Candidate

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate

Peter Whittle, UKIP Mayoral candidate

John Sauven, Chief Executive of Greenpeace

Gina Parihar, Head of Legal at Friends of the Earth

Tania Mathias, Conservative MP for Twickenham

A long-standing resident from the Heathrow villages who will lose her home

Gyles Brandreth will act as master of ceremonies

ENDS

 For further information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

Heathrow Airport rapped over expansion ad by Advertising Standards Authority

Press Release

 15/9/15 embargoed until Wed, Sep 16, 00:01  

 Heathrow Airport rapped over expansion ad by Advertising Standards AuthorityHeathrow offending adHeathrow Airport has been rapped over the knuckles by the Advertising Standards Authority over a prominent advert it used to promote expansion of the airport (1).  Eight complainants challenged that the ad saying it was misleading , with its claim  that  ‘50% of local people’ were in favour of the airport’s expansion and featuring the text ‘those living around us are behind us’. The complaints have been upheld upheld, with the ads forbidden from appearing again in their current form.

John Stewart, chair of the campaign group HACAN, which opposes the expansion of Heathrow, said, “This judgment is not good news for Heathrow.    It undermines a key plank of their campaign that they have strong local support for a third runway.”

ENDS

 Notes for Editors

 (1). The ASA will publish its decision on Wednesday 16th September:  www.asa.org.uk

For further details:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641; 07957385650

Matt Wilson , Advertising Standards Authority , 020 7494 2122

Heathrow Poll Shows Support for 3rd Runway Static

Press Release

 9/9/15 for immediate use

 Heathrow Poll Shows Support for 3rd Runway Static

Heathrow Airport today published a poll which shows that support for a third runway remains static (1).  Around 50% support expansion, with 34% opposed to it.  This is very similar to the findings of a poll they released at the beginning of the year (2).  A third of people continue to oppose expansion.  In fact the figures have changed little over the past decade (3).

John Stewart, the chair of HACAN, the campaign group which opposes expansion, “In their heart of hearts Heathrow must be disappointed with these results.  Despite the millions they have spent on advertising, the polls have not moved.  Indeed the Government, which is considering whether to give the green light to a third runway, might be more interested in the numbers which continue to oppose expansion.  Hundreds of thousands of people do not want a third runway.  That is formidable opposition.

 ENDS

 Notes for Editors

 (1). The latest poll: http://www.populus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Heathrow_Jul+Aug15PressSet.pdf

(2). The January 2015 poll: http://mediacentre.heathrow.com/pressrelease/details/81/Expansion-News-23/4363

(3). The 2007 poll:  http://hacan.org.uk/blog/?p=281

For further information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

HACAN backs cross-party campaign against 3rd Runway launched today

Press Release

2/9/15 for immediate use

 HACAN backs cross-party campaign against 3rd Runway 

HACAN, which provides a voice for residents under the Heathrow flight paths, has given its backing to a cross-party campaign launched today to stop a third runway at Heathrow.

The Coalition Against Heathrow Expansion includes the Mayor of London, Conservative MPs Zac Goldsmith, Adam Afriyie and Tania Mathias, Labour MPs John McDonnell, Ruth Cadbury, Andy Slaughter and Kate Hoey as well as five councils and campaign groups including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

The campaign will be delivering over 1.6m flyers across London and the South East to people who could be impacted by a third runway.  It is also organising a mass rally in Central London on October 10th

HACAN Chair John Stewart, who will be fronting the rally, said, “This leaflet drop and rally is the biggest effort ever by opponents of Heathrow expansion.  It shows that, despite the recommendation of the Airports Commission that a third runway goes ahead, we are confident that we can bury the proposal once and for all.”

Later this year the Government will decide whether to endorse the Airports Commission’s recommendation of a third runway or to go for another solution.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

.Link to example flyer: http://www.zacgoldsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Heathrow-Flyer_Hounslow.pdf

·Members of the Coalition:
Adam Afriyie MP
Ruth Cadbury MP
Zac Goldsmith MP
Kate Hoey MP
Boris Johnson MP
Tania Mathias MP
John McDonnell MP
Andy Slaughter MP
Wandsworth Council
Hillingdon Council
Richmond Council
Kingston Council
Windsor and Maidenhead Council
HACAN
Richmond Heathrow Campaign
Teddington Action Group
Greenpeace
Friends of the Earth
Stop Heathrow Expansion
Ealing Aircraft Noise Action Group
Communities Against Increased Aircraft Noise

For more information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

What if Davies got his sums wrong

The Airports Commission recommended a third runway at Heathrow largely on the basis of the economic benefits it would bring to the country.  However, over the last few weeks evidence has emerged that the economic case for a third runway is much less convincing than it may have appeared.

What strengthens the argument is that much of this evidence, whilst unearthed by Gatwick Airport and others, is contained in the report of Airports Commission itself.

We now know:

  • The number of domestic airports linked to Heathrow will fall from 7 to just 4.
  • A 3rd runway will provide no more than 12 additional long-haul destinations by 2050

The case for a new runway at Heathrow always rested on the fact it would significantly improve connectivity to the emerging economies of the world and that it would connect more UK airports to Heathrow.  The facts suggest otherwise.  Indeed, a second runway at Gatwick would add 10 new long-haul destinations at a fraction of the cost to the taxpayer.

We also now know:

  • The £147 billion the Commission said a 3rd runway would bring to the national economy over 60 years is likely to be way too high.

Its own experts Professor Peter Mackie and Brian Pearce told the Commission that the method of modelling used by consultants PwC, which produced this figure, faced “a number of difficulties” and was about three times higher than traditional estimates.

Using the more traditional modelling methods, and assuming carbon trading is in place, the benefits of a third runway over a 60 year period fall to £69 billion.  A second runway at Gatwick would bring in just over £60 billion.

But, if the costs of the disbenefits (such as noise and emissions) and the costs of delivering the third runway are included, the economic benefits fall to £11.8 billion over 60 years.  The Commission admits Gatwick would be close behind at £10.8 billion.  (Gatwick Airport believes this is an underestimate as it argues the Commission has underestimated the number of passengers it would attract).

A recent report from the Aviation Environment Federation puts the benefits of a third runway even lower as it believes the Commission hasn’t fully factored in the costs of climate emissions.

But, even on the Commission’s own figures, the economic benefits of a third runway at Heathrow could be much less than has been commonly assumed.

Food for much thought for the cabinet committee which is assessing the Commission’s recommendation.    

Plane Stupid activists in Court

A large number of people turned out to support the Plane Stupid activists, who occupied the Heathrow runway last month, when they appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates Court on on 19th August.  Photos here:  http://www.demotix.com/news/8344293/heathrow-climate-activists-protest-outside-plane-stupid-court-hearing …  They pleaded not guilty and were bailed on condition they don’t enter airport.  There will be 2 week trial starting Jan18th.

Most noise emails come from…..EAST of Clapham Junction

HACAN gets more emails from areas in South London east of Clapham Junction in a typical week than any other single area. 

This surprises people when I mention it to them.  They expect most of the complaints to come from areas closer to the airport.

I suspect there are four reasons for this:

  • In West London there is now more of an acceptance of the noise (though this is far from universal).
  • Most people moving into West London know there may be planes in the area; this is not the case elsewhere.
  • Unlike West London, there is no real respite from the noise.  In West London people under the landing flight paths get a half day’s break from the noise when planes switch runways at 3pm each day.
  • The fact, brought up in a number of the emails, that  an operational change (often quite a small one) by air traffic controllers can have the effect of concentrating flights over particular areas.

The number of planes flying over parts of SE London can be considerable, with HACAN having recorded over 40 planes an hour at the Oval, the vat majority under 4,000 ft.

Below are a selection of the emails we received over the last week or so.

(Note to aviation experts: some of the assumptions people make about why they are suffering noise may not be accurate.  Don’t let that get in the way of their clear message: they are suffering from the noise.)

Message:  

Morning, I’ve just moved into Camberwell and I’m devastated by the CONSTANT drone of aircraft. There is literally no respite and the garden has become a no-go zone. We are so far away from Heathrow but almost every plane that lands there flies directly over us and unlike areas of West London, there is no respite or ‘off-days.’

Is there any good news you can provide or have I just made the most expensive mistake of my life?

Message:

Hi, when you see coverage of noise you see more (understandably) on noise near the airport. However, we in Forest Hill get noise from around 5am loud enough to wake us up, and are in SE6 area. What can residents from further afield do to get their point about noise across?  Do you have regional or borough action groups or citizen reporting and monitoring groups? I would like to set up a noise monitor but don’t know how to best do this in a way that will ensure the data is usable. Please advise!

Message:

Dear Sir or Madam, Do you know if there are any groups or people in Kennington/Lambeth North area who are also disturbed by the massive increase in aviation noise since 2012? I am looking to get in touch to compare their experiences to my own. I assume you are aware that peak noise from Heathrow arrivals have increased fourfold in this area and due to the increase in frequency of flights, there no gaps in the noise.

Message:

Hi John, I hope you are well.  We have noticed a further increase of flights – this is now getting out of hand!  We now have times where there are planes every 2 minutes!  We never used to be overflown like this in Hither Green.  Could you please provide the latest data so we can see the increase and suggest what we can do to take further action.

Message:

Thanks John.  So from the WebTrak data yesterday I can see now that planes cut across Wandsworth Common so at least now it’s starting to show what we can all see so some progress here*.  The obvious next question is who changed the approach path (it seems from the Croydon stack) as they have never come across the Common before?

* His previous email was a complaint that Webtrak was not showing the true location of the planes.

Message:

Please can you advise on action I can take.  Family and neighbours suffering from sleep deprivation thru 4am onwards noise of numerous Heathrow flights and total loss of amenity and enjoyment of our homes. Our property seems to be under the direct flight path. Flights greatly increased as has noise. Generally woken up every morning just after 4am by noise Heathrow incoming flights which even keeping a radio on overnight as background noise, can’t block out aircraft noise. We suffer noise blight from the two “stacks” etc our side of Kent (Biggin and the other one). Have you been contacted by anyone else the Sundridge Park/Elmstead Woods side of Bromley? Can you please let us know whom we can take this totally unacceptable situation up with and if I can do anything constructive in your organisation to get satisfaction for all the residents her in getting rid of this blight on our lives.

Message:

I would like to report intense, constant aircraft noise in Brockley, SE4. Planes thunder over the house, over and over again, every day for 18 hours non-stop – a relentless drone and roar of aircraft (e.g. today 21/7/2015).  There is absolutely no relief in the area. I am aware that “planes have always been over the area”, as Heathrow often says, but they have never been at this concentration or intensity, this has got a lot worse recently.

When will the area gets some respite?