‘British Airways reputation as a responsible company is in tatters’

Campaigners against a 3rd runway at Heathrow will stage a colourful stunt outside the British Airways AGM on Tuesday 15th July (1). Representatives from HACAN ClearSkies and the No Third Runway Action Group will be dressed up in gas masks and boiler suits to highlight the fact that, if a 3rd runway is built, air pollution levels around Heathrow will be above the EU legal limits (2).

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN ClearSkies, said, “British Airways reputation as a responsible company is in tatters. Last week it was revealed as the main supporter of night flights at Heathrow. It is now clear it is pushing for a 3rd runway regardless of the effect it would have on the health of the local community. Quite simply, British Airways makes you sick.”

Notes for Editors

1. The British Airways AGM is being held at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Conference Centre (opposite Westminster Abbey). It starts at 11am. But shareholders will arrive from 9.30am. The campaigners expect to be outside the building from 9.30am until 11am.

2. The Government admitted in the SERAS consultation on the 3rd runway that up to 35,000 people could be affected by nitrogen dioxide levels above the EU legal limit if a 3rd runway is built. Subsequently BA and BAA did a study which claimed that the levels would be lower, but this study has not been independently verified. If EU levels are breached, the UK Government would be fined by the EU for every day that a breech occurred. The Government will announce its decision on a 3rd runway as part of its Aviation White Paper, expected in December of this year.

For more information contact John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957 385650.

Residents vow to fight to win

Residents from HACAN ClearSkies vowed to continue their fight to stop night flights at Heathrow following today’s judgement from the European Court of Human Rights. The court overturned the earlier judgment that night flights breached the Human Rights Convention (1), but it gave the residents the green light to take their fight back to the UK courts (2).

John Stewart, Chair HACAN ClearSkies, said, “The European court seems to have given us the opportunity to argue our case again in the UK courts. We fight on. We fight to win. We believe it is a battle we will win as we have the support of most of the politicians in London and the Thames Valley. The political pressure on the Government will remain to do something about night flight.”

Notes for Editors

1. The Appeal Court did not agree, by a majority of 12-5, with the the judgement of the earlier court (released in October 2001) that night flights were a breach of Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention that guarantees people a right to “the peaceful enjoyment” of their own homes.

2. The Appeal Court did find, by a majority of 18-1 (only the UK judge dissenting), that, under Article 13 of the Human Rights Convention, the residents had not been given the opportunity to make their case fully in the UK Courts: crucially, that they had not been able to argue the human rights aspects of the case in the UK courts because human rights legislation had not been incorporated into UK law at the time.

For further information contact John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957 385650.

Research raises fears amongst residents

Research by pressure group HACAN ClearSkies shows that a 3rd runway at Heathrow would be full by 2015. The research raises fears amongst residents that a full-length runway will eventually be built rather than the short runway currently under consideration.

The Government’s consultation document into options for runway expansion expects Heathrow to be able to cater for 116 million passengers per year in 2015, using a total of 655,000 flights. The consultation documents predicts the numbers will be exactly the same in 2030 (1).

John Stewart, the Chair of HACAN ClearSkies, said, “The Government’s position is not credible. It stretches belief that it does not expect any increase in passengers over the 15 years between 2015 and 2030. Either it has badly miscalculated or it knows it will need a full-scale runway before 2030.”

Earlier this year the Government consulted on proposals for a new short runway at Heathrow that would take the smaller planes. The Government will announce its decision on whether to give the go-ahead for this runway when it publishes its Aviation White Paper, expected in mid-December.

Notes for Editors

1. The figures are contained on page 51 of SERAS, the consultation document that laid out options for airport expansion in London and the South East. Other options included new runways at Gatwick and Stansed and a new airport at Cliffe on the North Kent Coast.

For more information contact John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957 385650.

Announcement made on National Noise Action Day

The four principal candidates for Mayor of London have all confirmed to pressure group HACAN ClearSkies that they are opposed to any further expansion of Heathrow Airport. They have all come out against a 3rd runway at Heathrow. They are united in their opposition to any plans to end runway alternation and support a phasing out of night flights (1).

HACAN ClearSkies released the news to coincide with National Noise Action Day (2).

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN ClearSkies, said, “This is a huge snub to the Government. It refuses to call a halt to expansion at Heathrow. Yet here are all the main mayoral candidates asking it to do just that. They know that a bigger Heathrow is not required to boost London’s economy. It is time the Government stopped obeying the voices of the aviation industry and started listening to the representatives of the people of London.”

Stewart added, “The Government makes a big deal of Noise Action Day. It spends a lot of money to tell people to turn their music down and stop their dogs barking. But all the time it is planning to make the noise climate worse for people living under the Heathrow flight path. Very much a case of don’t do as I do, but do as I say.”

Selected quotes from the Mayoral candidates:

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat: “The Liberal Democrats remain totally opposed to any further development at Heathrow. The residents who live under the flight path have suffered enough.”

Darren Johnson, Green Party: “The Green Party campaigns to bring about an end to airport expansion and action to make rail cheaper than flying.”

Ken Livingstone: “The Mayor opposes a third runway. He does not believe it is acceptable to Londoners.”

Steve Norris, Conservative: “Environmental concerns must have a significant influence in any decision over airport expansion. That is why I am against plans for a third runway at Heathrow.”

Notes for Editors

1. HACAN ClearSkies has met with each of the candidates or their representatives and has had written and verbal statements from each of them covering a 3rd runway, night flights and runway alternation.

2. Noise Action Day is held each year. It is organised by the noise division of the National Society for Clean Air and financially supported by DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

For further information contact John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957 385650.

High Court says residents are not expected to put up with the ‘fearsome’ noise of Harrier training

Catherine and Darby Dennis are delighted that the High Court says that they are not expected just to put up with the ‘fearsome’ noise of Harrier training from RAF Wittering that blights their lives and home at Walcot Hall, Near Stamford. Walcot is right in line with the runway at Wittering, and Harriers doing circuit training and landing approaches create what the court said “manifestly amounts to a nuisance”.

The Dennis’ went to court after years of getting nowhere with polite complaints to the Ministry of Defence. They claimed that Harrier training ruins the enjoyment of their home and seriously devalues it. The Court has agreed that even if Harrier training must continue at Wittering in the public interest, they must be compensated.

Awarded damages

Contrary to Government claims of a right to create a nuisance because it has gone on for a long time, or because it is in the public interest, MrJustice Buckley said that “selected individuals should not bear the cost of the public benefit”. He has awarded damages based on nuisance, and infringement with human rights, for risk of loss of capital value, loss of business opportunities, and loss of amenity.

Mr and Mrs Dennis say the best news is that the court has warned the MoD that even if compensation is sufficient in relation to Harrier nuisance, they and other residents cannot be expected to put up with the “Future Carrier Borne Aircraft” that is due to replace Harriers in 2012 but may be more than twice as loud. “Maybe after a few more years of Harriers, we will have some relative peace and quiet”, Darby Dennis said. “There is light at the end of the tunnel not just for us, but for other people in similar situations”.

Real legal breakthrough

Richard Buxton, their solicitor, said “this is a real legal breakthrough. It shows that people do not just have to put up with government doing what it likes. The Ministry of Defence says it is convenient for them to operate from Wittering, so it makes lots of sense that they should pay for damage that they cause doing so. It is like the need to pay for fuel for their aeroplanes. It is a cost of doing business”.

Ken Jones of FPDSavills Lincoln, the Dennis’ property adviser, said “after all this time common sense has prevailed to bring some justice to the situation”.

The Court went out of its way to say that the Dennis’ brought the case very reluctantly and have the highest regard for the RAF and what it does.

Contacts

Richard Buxton, solicitor: 01223 328933, Mobile 07900 413762.
Ken Jones, chartered surveyor: 01522 551100, Mobile 07967 555543.