Post boxes have started to appear in the terminals Heathrow Airport urging customers to ‘help us expand Heathrow’. They coincide with the final public consultation being held by the Airports Commission which is looking at whether a third runway should be built at Heathrow or a second one at Gatwick. The Commission’s final report will be published after May’s General Election. The next Government will need to decide whether to accept or reject its recommendations.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN, which campaigns against a new runway, said “Local people alerted us to these post boxes. They are quite attractive but I suspect they are not there just to be decorative. It seems as if Heathrow is using passengers as a weapon in its fight to get a third runway.”
Questions are being asked by campaigners whether passengers are being handed forms as they come off their planes for them to send to Heathrow or put into the post boxes.
Stewart added: “I suspect Heathrow may have miscalculated. The Airports Commission will be more interested in solid arguments rather than in sifting through forms founds in posting boxes dotted around Heathrow’s last chance saloon.”
Neil Keveren, who chairs SHE (Stop Heathrow Expansion), said, “These post boxes illustrate the David and Goliath of this battle. We are fighting in our spare time to stop our homes being knocked down and our communities destroyed while Heathrow Airport is not only able to spend millions but use passengers from around the globe that have little interest in communities such as ours.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
For further information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650
Neil Keveren on 07850904677; www.stopheathrowexpansion.co.uk
Press release dated 7/1/15