Category: Latest news

Press Release

1/12/15 for immediate use

Influential committee of MPs ‘put Government in a straightjacket’ over Heathrow Third Runway

A leading committee of MPs has ‘put the Government in a straightjacket’ over a third runway at Heathrow.  The influential Environmental Audit Committee released a report today (1) which said that a third runway should not go ahead at Heathrow until strict environmental conditions are met.  These included proof can be that noise and air pollution will be less than they are now; that the Government has clear policies in place to show it could meet the climate change recommendations in Airports Commission; and that Heathrow Airport commits to paying for the associated road and rail infrastructure and agrees to a ban on night flights.

HACAN chair John Stewart said, “The Committee has put the Government in a straightjacket over a third runway.  This report makes it that much harder to build a third runway at Heathrow.”

The Government is expected to make an announcement before Christmas about whether it favours a third runway at Heathrow or a second runway at Gatwick.

ENDS

 Notes for Editors

 (1).   http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/news-parliament-2015/airports-commission-report-15-16/

 

 

Press Release

 21/10/15 for immediate use

 No Third Runway Flash Mob Staged at Heathrow Terminal Two

Over 50 campaigners from across London and the Home Counties staged at Heathrow Terminal Two today in protest against a third runway.

At 11am on the dot the campaigners, standing in front of the giant sculpture in the new terminal, revealed red t-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘No 3^rd Runway’.

The campaigners included residents from Harmondsworth whose homes would be demolished to make way for the new runway as well as people from West London and Berkshire and as far afield as Lightwater and Binfield.  They were joined by polar bears from Plane Stupid.

John Stewart, the chair of HACAN, the campaign group which organized the Flash Mob, said, “This was a fun event with a serious purpose.  We wanted to send a strong message to David Cameron that, if the Government gives the green light to a third runway, he will face united, determined opposition.”

The Government is expected to make an announcement about new runways in December.

ENDS

 

 

Press Release

 5/11/15 for immediate use

 “Clear Commitment” by Heathrow Airport to “significantly” reduce night flights if 3^rd runway goes ahead

Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye made a commitment to significantly reduce night flights if permission was given for a third runway.

Cross-examined yesterday by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee (1), Mr Holland-Kaye gave the clearest signal yet that a new runway would lead to a reduction in flights before 6am.  But he appeared to rule out a total ban.

He told the committee: “There are huge benefits to local communities for getting rid of the early morning scheduled arrivals between 4.30 and 6am”.

“Equally there is a big cost to that for the UK economy because those are very valuable trading routes to the Far East, Singapore and Hong Kong. It’s not easy to resolve that”.

“We are working on it. I’m confident that we will be able to find a way through that and that there’s a real opportunity to significantly reduce night flying at Heathrow with expansion.”

The Airports Commission, which the previous Government set up in 2012, to look at the need for more runways, recommended in its report published in July of this year that a legally-binding ban on night flights should be a condition of a third runway being given the go-ahead.

John Stewart, chair of the campaign group HACAN which opposes Heathrow expansion, “For the first time I can remember a Heathrow CEO has talked about the possibility of a real reduction in night flights”.

“However, we believe they are so disturbing to so many people that a complete ban on planes before 6am should be introduced whether or not a third runway is built.”

The Government is expected to take a decision about whether or not to give the green light to a third runway at Heathrow before Christmas.

Before the start of the Committee hearings campaigners staged a demonstration outside the building to highlight the air pollution problems around Heathrow

ENDS

 Notes for Editors:

 (1). The Environmental Audit Committee is conducting an investigation into whether the conditions the Airport Commission recommended should be met if a third runway goes ahead are feasible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Release

 29/10/15 for immediate use

 Londoners rate new airport capacity as he least important measure required to ensure London remains competitive with other global cities, according to a survey released today by the London Chamber of Commerce (1).  The survey, undertaken by ComRes for London Tomorrow, a group set up in part by the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry, found affordable housing topped most people’s list.

Com Res surveyed businesses, councillors and the public.  Only 3% of the public put new airport capacity at the top of their list and just 2% of businesses and 1% of councillors did so.

John Stewart, the chair of HACAN, which campaigns against a third runway at Heathrow, said, “These figures are very revealing.  Across the board Londoners do not think airport matters to the future of the capital.  The figures suggest that the polls which Heathrow Airport has carried out  in a limited number of areas close to the airport significantly overstate the support there is for a third runway amongst Londoners as a whole.

ENDS

 Notes for Editors:

 (1). The full poll can be found at http://www.comres.co.uk/polls/lcci-london-tomorrow-survey-q3-2015/

For further information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641; 07957385650

 

 

 

Press Release

19/10/15 for immediate use

 Heathrow campaigners park plane outside Downing St to mark 6^th anniversary of Prime Ministers ‘No ifs, no buts, no 3^rd runway’ speech

To mark the 6^th anniversary of David Cameron’s speech where he promised ‘No ifs; no buts; there will be no third runway’ Heathrow campaigners parked a plane outside Downing Street this morning .

On 19^th October 2006 David Cameron, then leader of the opposition, made his now famous promise in a speech at a rally in Christ School in Richmond (2).  When the Coalition Government came to power in 2010 it ruled out any new runways for the duration of that Parliament.  But in 2012 it set up the Airports Commission, under Sir Howard Davies, to look at the case for new runways.

In July of this year the Commission recommended a third runway at Heathrow.  The Prime Minister is expected to announce before the end of the year whether he accepts that decision.

Margaret Thorburn, spokesperson for the campaigners said, “Today’s colourful stunt is a visible reminder to David Cameron of the promise he made on this day six years ago.  If he breaks it, he will not be forgiven by tens of thousands of people in and around London and countless environmentalists across the country.”

ENDS

 Notes for Editors:

 (2). Report of the original speech

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/4694685.David_Cameron___No_third_runway___no_ifs__no_buts_/