Local residents teamed up with the direct action network Plane Stupid to stage colourful protest actions at the Conservative Party Conference:
A plane was parked outside the conference:
Loud aircraft noise was played at 4.30am outside the hotel where most of the government ministers were staying to coincide with the first night flight arriving at Heathrow:
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
What unites all 5 candidates for London Mayor?
They are all opposed to a third runway at Heathrow.
Conservatives – Zac Goldsmith; Labour – Sadiq Khan; Liberal Democrat – Caroline Pidgeon; Green – Sian Berry; UKIP – Peter Whittle
Press Release
15/9/15 embargoed until Wed, Sep 16, 00:01
Heathrow Airport rapped over expansion ad by Advertising Standards Authority
Heathrow 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
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
Teddington Action Group has dug out the fact that 24 new schools and thousands of children will be exposed to noise levels above the World Health Organisation standards if a3rd runway goes ahead. They have written to all head teachers in London.
Read their press release here: http://bit.ly/1EDn3bC
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.
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 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:
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.
What if Gatwick is right……………
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
