Press Release

28/7/15 for immediate use

Only 13.2% of Britons Back a Third Runway at Heathrow

A Mori poll released yesterday shows that only 13% of people in the UK back a third runway at Heathrow.  Most people, 60%, want to see more airport capacity in the country but few of them want it at Heathrow.  A third of people are against any expansion at all.

Of those who favour expansion, 30% want to see a new airport, 24% support Gatwick and 22% Heathrow.  But, when those who oppose all expansion are taken into account, support for a third runway at Heathrow falls to a mere 13%.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, which opposes a third runway, said, “The politicians who back Heathrow expansion are simply out of tune with public opinion. Moreover, this independent poll shows Heathrow-commissioned polls do not tell the full story”.

Most people thought that concerns about noise and the natural environment were more important than jobs and economic growth when considering where new runway or a new airport should be built.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI, said: “At the moment, the public’s view is dominated by concerns about environmental impact and noise rather than jobs or cost.”

Ends

Notes for Editors:

1.  Link to the survey: https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3606/Most-Britons-believe-airport-capacity-should-be-increased.aspx