Welcome
HACAN Clearskies stands up for all people adversely affected by the increasing number of aircraft flying in and out of Heathrow airport.
We are a lively, rational and independent lobbying group which campaigns for quieter, cleaner and safer conditions for residents living under Heathrow's flight paths.
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We now face our biggest challenge with the current Government plans for expansion. We will aim to keep you up-to-date with the campaign as it develops. But we are exerting great pressure: 70,000 people responded to the consultation – see below Remember it’s not too late to sign the Petition against expansion We will aim to keep you up-to-date with the campaign as it develops Keep checking the website!
But also join the Protest Vigil outside Parliament on 20th May And keep up the pressure by sending Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly a birthday card: She’s 40 on 9th May Other things you can do:
Click here for the arguments against expansion
(Heathrow
Expansion – reasons to oppose it). |
| The March, Rally and Carnival May 31st 12 noon: Hatton Cross Underground Station 12.30pm: March moves off March around the Heathrow perimter road (about 2 1/2 miles)* 2.00pm (approx): March arrives at Sipson Recreation Ground for rally and speeches 3.00/3.30 (approx): Finish The main road in Sipson will be closed off. There will be stalls, food, drink and plenty for the children, ranging from bouncy castles to face-painting We expect there to be special buses to ferry people back to the tube and rail stations Check out the special website A Fun Event with a Serious Purpose The Government expects to make its decision about Heathrow expansion in the Summer. This is our big chance to pile on the pressure. We expect this to be the biggest demonstration against expansion in Heathrow’s history It will be all legal and peaceful but thousands of people marching will send a powerful message to the Government Join us! * There will be transport for those who feel they cannot walk that far. Or just join us for the rally. |
Protest Vigil: 20th May, 6pm, outside the House of Commons
A group of mothers will be organising a protest vigil outside the House of Commons on 20th May from 6pm calling for a halt to airport expansion. The group is called We CAN was formed by a group of mothers who argue that “we need Climate Action Now”. The group currently includes; writer and broadcaster, Rosie Boycott and former ITN Home Affairs Editor Jennifer Nadel. Although the protest vigil is being organised by a group of mothers, everybody is welcome to join. Children are very welcome. The organisers ask people to “bring a candle and a green awareness ribbon to show you want the government to take real leadership on this issue”. Just turn up on the evening! For more details you can email them. Their website is at WE Climate Action Now. And a short film which sums it all up and was made by Rebecca Frayn can be found at view film.
Former BA Boss Comes Out Against Heathrow Expansion
Former British Airways Chief Executive Bob Ayling has come out against expansion at Heathrow and has called for fewer flights to use the airport. Read his article in the Sunday Times
That was the Flash Mob on the opening day of Terminal 5
The Birthday
Girl
Ruth Kelly is 40 on Friday 9th
May.
You can let her know what you think of her plans to expand
Heathrow - Email
Ruth Kelly
Villain of the Month
We've had Jim Fitzpatrick, the Aviation Minister - see below
And before him it was
Harriet Harman MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour
Party and Leader of the Commons – see below
We were tempted by David Wilshire, the controversial MP for Spelthorne, for his contribution to the House of Commons Debate on Heathrow. He said: “I have never argued for more jobs at Heathrow; all that I have argued is that there should be no redundancies in Spelthorne.”
But since, outside of Spelthorne, David Wilshire is an insignificant figure,
So we chose instead Transport Secretary of State Ruth Kelly
She won on two counts: her refusal to take action against the civil servants who colluded with BAA in drawing up the Heathrow consultation document; and her refusal to come to visit local authorities or local people who will be affected if expansion goes ahead.
Take Action: Email Ruth Kelly to ask her to set up an independent inquiry into the alleged collusion between BAA civil servants in her Department for Transport and, if you wish, ask her to visit you to se what it is like living under the flight path. Email Ruth Kelly
We've had Jim Fitzpatrick, the Aviation Minister
We’ve just heard that the Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has asked for further research on its key noise report, ANASE, published last November. The findings of the report, which took 7 years to produce and cost of £1 million, embarrassed the Government by suggesting that people were disturbed by noise at much lower levels than the Government admitted and by criticising the way the Government averages out noise levels. The Government in its recent consultation document on Heathrow expansion accepted these findings but said it would not adopt them because other areas of the report might be flawed. It was a complete cop-out. Jim Fitzpatrick is widely regarded as a decent and straightforward man but he has allowed the baleful influence if his much criticised civil servants to cloud his judgement. For that reason he becomes our villain of the week.
This week is the Minister’s birthday – he’s 56 on Friday 4th April. As a present HACAN will be sending him this video, made by one of our members in an area where the Government maintains noise is a problem!
You could send him a birthday greeting:
Address: |
Jim Fitzpatrick MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA |
| Parliamentary Office: | Tel: 020 7219 5085/6215 Fax: 020 7219 2776 |
| Constituency Office: | Tel: 020 7536 0562 Fax: 020 7536 0572 |
| E-mail: | fitzpatrickj@parliament.uk |
Or call his hotline 020 7219 5085/6215
And the month before's woman was Harriet Harman MP
When asked by a number of MPs for a debate on the allegations on the front page the Sunday Times of collusion between the Department for Transport and BAA in drawing up the recent consultation on Heathrow expansion, she refused the request for a debate, saying “The accusations of collusion are utter nonsense" and that "all decisions on adding capacity at Heathrow will be taken independently by BAA". Read the Sunday Times article, even look at some of the leaked documents if you want to, (1 / 2 / 3 / 4), and then email Ms Harman at harmanh@parliament.uk asking that, as Leader of the House, she allows a debate on the alleged collusion. Or write to her at the House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA. If you live in her Peckham constituency, go and visit her at her constituency surgery.
70,000 People Respond to the Consultation
Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick was forced to admit in Parliament on 2nd April that 70,000 people had responded to the consultation. We don’t know yet how many were for and how many against expansion.
The Conservatives “opposed to the further expansion of Heathrow Airport.”
The London Evening Standard carried a story on 2nd April that
the Conservative Party is opposed to the expansion of Heathrow. The paper wrote:
“In a significant hardening of the party line, shadow transport secretary
Theresa Villiers said the case for a third runway had not been made. She said
the Government should look at alternatives such as greater use of high-speed
rail links before sanctioning further growth at the airport." For the full
Standard
story click The story seemed to be confirmed later in the day during a debate
in the House of Commons when Theresa Villiers said: “The Opposition believe
that the Government have failed to make the case either for a third runway or
for an end to runway alternation at Heathrow. As I have just said clearly, we
do not believe that the Government have made the case either for a new runway
at Heathrow or for mixed mode.”
Read the Daily
Telegraph article.
MPs Slam Government over Collusion with BAA on Heathrow Consultation
Heathrow MP calls for Public Inquiry into Consultation
In a debate about Heathrow on the floor of the House of Commons initiated by the Liberal Democrats on Wednesday 2nd April, MPs lined to slam the Government over collusion with BAA in drawing up the recent Heathrow consultation document and John McDonnell MP, whose constituency includes Heathrow, subsequently put down an Early Day Motion calling for an independent Public Inquiry.
Here’s just a flavour of what was said. You can catch the full debate here
| Liberal Democrat Transport
Spokesman, Norman Baker likened BAA to “some fiendish drug
addict” with the Government “its willing dealer.”
Justine Greening, the Conservative MP whose hard work using the Freedom of Information Act brought the collusion to light, told the Commons: “The freedom of information results that I have obtained clearly show that BAA was so involved with modelling the air pollution and noise that there was a BAA forecasting team. BAA also sat on the Heathrow project board. I do not remember being invited to sit on that board as a key stakeholder and local Member of Parliament. BAA was involved with the Department for Transport in developing joint lines to take to deal with media and press inquiries. That is fundamentally wrong.” The Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, echoed the criticism of the Government: “I do not know whether the Secretary of State thinks that cosy meetings at BAA headquarters to “reforecast” and fix the figures to get the answer that is wanted are a proper way to conduct the planning process.” John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said “For many people out there, the message that comes across loudly is that this place is becoming good enough only for climbing on the roof and hanging their banners, and useful for nothing else.” Former Environment Minister Michael Meacher said: “I think that there must be accountability for such behaviour. I assume that no Minister was directly involved in the massaging of these data, but I believe that leading civil servants—including, as has been mentioned, David Gray, who appears in all the documents—should be disciplined and, if necessary, removed, which is what I believe would occur in any other sector of employment.” Michael Meacher has written to the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas, to ask him to investigate the Government’s handling of the consultation since a crucial part of the consultation concerned whether the EU legal limits on air pollution would be exceeded if expansion took place. During the debate Government ministers continued to maintain nothing
improper had taken place. |
The collusion has been spelt out in the Sunday Times
Sunday Times exposes collusion between Department for Transport and BAA to “fix” the evidence in favour of a new third runway at Heathrow
An investigation by the Sunday Times has found that the airports operator BAA colluded with government officials to “fix” the evidence in favour of a new third runway at Heathrow.
Click on the link to view the Sunday Times article.
MPs criticise economic case for Heathrow expansion
During the debate on Heathrow a number of MPs joined in the growing criticism that the economic case for expansion doesn’t stand up.
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“They have failed to make the economic case for expansion. A recent study by CE Delft for the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise throws into question the analysis in the Oxford Economic Forecasting report, which has been the foundation for the economic case since its publication.” Theresa Villiers MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport The consultation document has very little understanding of actual behaviour and economic drivers and of the fact that here in London business is changing. Business people do not want to be put on a flight every 10 minutes by their employers—they used to accept that, but no longer. Businesses are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. New technologies are coming through for video conferencing and other ways of communication. High-speed rail is increasingly a preferred option. We are in a period of dynamism and change, and the Government are clinging to an old technology and an old strategy just when they need not do so. The logic of what they say is that we must constantly grow and grow. If there are six new runways in Beijing, then my goodness, we must have more runways here in London. That is utterly unsustainable. If we say that at some point we must draw a line in the sand, let us draw it now before we do additional damage to London’s economy and quality of life.Anyone who thinks that the number of destinations is key should take a look at Frankfurt. It has the most destinations of any of the cities in Europe, but it is not attracting businesses away from the UK.” Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat MP and former banker. “I should like to say something about Unite, of which I am a member.
Employers always find the unions that they need when it suits them, and
unions always foolishly swallow it. It was always claimed that there would
be social and political armageddon in south-west London when duty-free
finished, but that was nonsense. By the same token, it is utter rubbish
to suggest that there will be employment implications if the Heathrow
expansion does not go ahead. Moreover, accepting that proposition on employment
for terminal 5 means accepting it for terminals 6, 7, 8 and so on forever.
I love the Unite union very much, but that suggestion is complete rubbish.”
Andrew Mackinlay, Labour MP for Thurrock |
Rising tide of doubt about economic value of Heathrow expansion
The Department for Transport justifies the expansion of Heathrow on economic grounds. Real questions are being asked about its arguments.
“The claim that Heathrow expansion is vital for British business is palpable rubbish.” Simon Jenkins, Sunday Times, 2/3/08
“On every test environment, economic and quality of life, the argument for expanding Heathrow has not been made and I don’t believe it ever can. We have a duty to protect our environment not just for us, but the generations who will come after us." The Mayor, Ken Livingstone
“The Government is pushing ahead with plans for a third runway without really understanding what that means for the economy.” Former Conservative Transport Minister Steve Norris.
Lib Den leader Nick Clegg has said they don’t stack up. Conservative Environment Spokesman Peter Ainsworth says they form part of ‘a dodgy dossier’.
Independent Report Questions Value of Heathrow expansion to the economy
A major new report, published today by independent research and consultancy
firm CE Delft, undermines the central pillar of the Government’s case
for a third runway at Heathrow and offers a viable alternative to expanding
capacity.
In justifying a third runway the Department for Transport (DfT) cite a study
by Oxford Economic Forecasting (OEF) which was funded, at least in part, by
BAA.
The new report, commissioned by HACAN ClearSkies and titled “The economics
of Heathrow expansion”, criticises the methodology used by OEF.
We are often told that a third runway is essential for the Capital’s economy.
But this report shows those benefits have been overstated by the Government
and the aviation lobby.
The Economist has questioned the value to the economy of Heathrow expansion: “The economic support for a bigger Heathrow was supplied by Oxford Economic Forecasting (OEF), a consultancy, in a report in October 2006. Paid for by the aviation industry and VisitBritain, a tourism quango, OEF's analysis also had the backing of the Confederation of British Industry and the DfT. That aviation is important to the economy is not in question. But the case for expansion is not quite as strong as OEF's conclusions suggest.” The Economist 27/3/08
Read the full article: Hemmed in at Heathrow
And check out: Rising tide of doubt about economic value of Heathrow expansionand
Independent Report Questions Value of Heathrow expansion to the economy
Royal Opening of Terminal 5 ‘a Sad Day for Residents’
‘Not so much a sparkling new terminal, more another broken promise’
“For months now BAA has been accused by highly vocal, yet minority groups such as HACAN, of not telling the truth about a third runway. BAA has said repeatedly Terminal 5 did not require and would not lead to a third runway. BAA has said repeatedly that it was pressing the Secretary of State to rule out a third runway. BAA has said repeatedly THERE WILL BE NO THIRD RUNWAY……What now of those who claimed BAA was not telling the truth? Will they perhaps show a little humility and accept that the company does listen and can actually help local people argue their case?” Heathrow News (a paper produced by the airport) February 1995
For the full story click onto the press release.
Aviation industry’s links to New Labour exposed
An investigation by the Sunday Times has found the airport operator BAA has used an elaborate network of lobbying and PR groups, headed by senior Labour figures with access to the government, to promote its controversial plans for a third Heathrow runway. Among the Labour insiders recruited to front pro-aviation lobby groups are Brian Wilson, a former industry and energy minister, and Lord Soley, a former chairman of the parliamentary Labour party. Jo Irvin, now a member of Brown’s inner circle in Downing Street, not only headed BAA’s public affairs department but also fronted one of the prime lobby groups backing Heathrow expansion.
Click on the link to view the Sunday Times article.
Click here to see the full links.
That was the Week that Was!
Last Week of the Consultation
Monday
25th February
3,000 People Attend End-of-Consultation Rally
Comment on rally from long-standing member: “Oh what a night, I was so pleased that I was part of it. I hope you recouped a vast amount of your payout. My MP David Wilshire is a waste of space along with most of the Councillors at Spelthorne, I only wish that John McDonnell was on this side of our boundary. I will be emailing David Cameron to let him know that after 43 years as a Tory voter as long as David Wilshire is my MP I will never vote Tory again.”
3,000 packed Central Halls Westminster to protest against the expansion proposals. The upbeat rally heard powerful speeches from politicians across the political spectrum. Outright opposition from Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, Green MEP Caroline Lucas, the principal speaker of the Green Party and all four major mayoral candidates. And for the Conservatives, Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, accused the Government of making a decision on the basis of a ‘dodgy dossier’. The Rally was accompanied by a Lobby of Parliament.
Earlier in the day Greenpeace activists climbed on a plane, which had just arrived from Manchester and parked on the runway outside Heathrow Terminal One to voice their opposition.
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg told the rally that the Government’s expansion plans were based on doubtful economics. Peter Ainsworth, the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, re-enforced the criticism that when he said that a decision to expand Heathrow should not be made on the basis of “a dodgy dossier |
Wednesday
27th February
Plane Stupid Stage Protest on House of Commons Rooftop
Activists from Plane Stupid clambered on to the roof of the Houses of Parliament to protest against Heathrow Expansion and to highlight the close relationship between BAA and the Department for Transport.
HACAN is not a direct action organisation but a number of our members
take direct action. If you are interested in taking direct action, email
us or contact Plane Stupid.
During the consultation
period 20,000 people attended public meetings
across London and the Home Counties |
HACAN’s Response to the Consultation
- The consultation document is inadequate and confusing
- Many people whom the proposed changes will affect have not been properly consulted
- The air pollution projections are speculative
- The economic benefits are overstated
- The noise claims are unsupported and based on a questionable premise
- The community destruction is under-estimated.
In short, this is a discredited consultation document. We object to any expansion at Heathrow, particularly to mixed mode, the ending of alternation, any easing of the 480,000 cap on movements per year, and to the third runway.
Biggest-Ever Coalition Against Heathrow Expansion
The Government is facing the biggest coalition ever assembled against airport expansion:
- local people;
- campaign groups;
- national environmental organisations;
- environmentalists;
- direct action activists;
- local authorities;
- and MPs and peers from all political parties
New groups are springing up. . One of the meetings has resulted in a new group being formed, Chiswick Residents Against the Spread of Heathrow (CRASH).
Terminal Five Public Inquiry Inspector Speaks out against Third Runway at Heathrow
The Inspector who conducted the Terminal Five Inquiry has spoken out against the Government plans for a third runway at Heathrow. In a rare interview, Roy Vandermeer told BBC London: “At the moment I have not for my part seen enough to persuade me that I would be altering my recommendations about the 3rd runway, were I doing it now. But that’s not to guarantee I wouldn’t, but I have not seen the material that would make me convinced that I would change my mind”. Roy Vandermeer recommended the go-ahead of Terminal Five after the longest Public Inquiry in UK history, lasting nearly four years. But he said the 5th Terminal should only go ahead on the condition that the number of flights were capped at 480,000 per year. The Government accepted the cap when it gave Terminal 5 the official green light in 2001. The Government now admits that a third runway would mean over 700,000 flights using the airport.
What the consultation says
- For our summary of the consultation click on Heathrow Expansion at a Glance
- For background material click on Heathrow Expansion Background Briefing
- Click for details on Runway Alternation, Cranford Agreement
- For a more in-depth explanation of runway alternation click Implications of removing runway alternation
- For details of the new flight paths click below (note: these are being revised in light of the new information in the consultation document)
The DfT is organising day-long consultation exhibitions in selected areas. We were not going to put them on the website as we regard them simply as propaganda exercises, but people have been asking for their locations. HACAN will be staging an alternative exhibition on the same day at the same venue or at one very close by. For details of the DfT and HACAN Consultation.
| Remember this consultation has come from people with a history of deception. Read about how people have been deceived over Heathrow since the very beginning (A History of Deception). Only real public pressure will force them to abandon their proposals. |
How will the proposals affect me?
Click here to find out how your area will be affected by the proposals.
But nothing is certain. The maps in the consultation document indicating the flight paths if expansion went ahead are a disgrace. The Government says it can only provide ‘indicative’ flight paths in this consultation because National Air Traffic Control (NATS) will be re-organising flight paths across the South East later this year. That is simply not good enough. It is just not good enough for the Government to imply, but not confirm, that new areas will be under landing and take-off routes. And to hide the information in obscure and difficult-to-read maps:
- Under new landing flight path for a third runway (probably): High St Kensington; Holland Park; Hammersmith; Chiswick; Southall; and Heston. From the west, Maidenhead and Slough.
- Under a new take-off flight path for a third runway (probably): Southall, Northolt, Harrow; Twickenham, Richmond, Hammersmith; Merton and Morden.
- Under a new take-flight path, with mixed-mode in place (probably): Mortlake, Richmond, Richmond Hill, Roehampton, Merton.
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You can see what areas are currently overflown by watching the planes on your screen. How you can track planes coming into land at Heathrow – a do-it-yourself glance at the flight paths. Also read a recent report on how aircraft noise has spread in
recent years. News
on a new report which shows the way noise has spread across London over
the last 10 years. |
View the HACAN video of residents opposed to expansion at Heathrow
Listen to the views of West London residents who will be effected by expansion at Heathrow.
Poll of polls reveals only 18% of people support expansion of UK airports
62% back reduction in short-haul flights from Heathrow. 70% of people say government should take the lead in tackling climate change. The report, Aviation and Climate Change: Public Opinion and the Scope for Action, by Woodnewton Associates, found a majority of people are willing to change their own behaviour to tackle climate change but expect the Government to take the lead.
The Campaign of Direct Action Starts
West London residents joined the direct action group Plane Stupid in disrupting a Transport Select Committee hearing in the House of Commons just as BAA was about to give evidence.
Big Climate Change Rally
In early December over 10,000 marched through a rain-drenched Central London on the Climate Change March
There was a large aviation contingent pointing out that aviation is the fastest-growing contributor to human-induced global warming. The World Development Movement has found that the annual CO2 emissions of a 3rd runway alone will be the equivalent of the entire CO2 emissions produced by Kenya in one year.
Respected Columnist Says No
- Respected Sunday Times columnist Simon Jenkins slated the Government’s expansion plans:
“Those worried by the current state of British politics will not be calmed by Ruth Kelly’s decision last week on a third Heathrow runway. She let Big Carbon walk all over her. British Airways (BA) and the British Airports Authority (BAA) have long been among our most fearsome lobbyists. They love Heathrow and would bulldoze Windsor Castle to help it expand. Kelly shuddered at their advance and capitulated. Its flight path will bring to Camden, Hammersmith and Harrow the aeronautical delights now endured by Richmond and Windsor. All we do know is that the government’s case for a third Heathrow runway is so thin as to amount to a single sentence: BA wants it. Kelly, like the rest of us, is being led by the nose by Big Carbon and all because the quality most lacking in Brown’s government is courage.”
Biggest-Ever Coalition against Heathrow Expansion Launched. New website marks start of high-profile campaign
MPs, peers and councillors from all the main political parties are supporting the biggest coalition ever assembled against further expansion of Heathrow. Stop Heathrow Expansion, which brings together politicians, local authorities, residents groups and national campaign organisations, was launched today, Monday 29th October, with the unveiling of its website.
In the News
An Inconvenient Truth. The Department for Transport “sneaks out” its first major national study on aircraft noise for a quarter of a century
The Department for Transport has been accused of sneaking out the first major national study it has produced on aircraft noise for nearly a quarter of a century. Today, 2nd November 2007 at 9.30am the Department will simply publish the ANASE study (The Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England) on its website. And, in a highly unusual move, the Department will also publish the comments of the people who were asked to peer review the study. It is thought the DfT will neither agree or disagree with the findings of the study but will highlight that the peer reviewers’ comments – some of which are critical of the study – to justify further work before the findings can be used in policy-making.
In the News
A new campaign website was launched last week as the centrepiece of opposition to further expansion at Heathrow. It contains a Petition to sign calling for a halt to expansion.
Proposed Expansion
Former Aviation Minister Admits Flight Numbers at Heathrow Could Rise to 800,000 a Year
For the first time a Government Minister has admitted that flight numbers at Heathrow could rise to 800,000 a year. In reply to a question from Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer, Aviation Minister Gillian Merron made it clear that this number could be reached if both a third runway went ahead and more use was made of the existing runways through the abolition of runway alternation.
Proposed Expansion
October 2007: Freedom of Information Documents Reveal ‘Collusion’ between Department for Transport and BAA on Forthcoming Heathrow Expansion Consultation. They agree to put local authorities who might oppose plans on ‘risk register’
The Department for Transport (DfT) has been accused of colluding with BAA in drawing up the expansion plans for Heathrow which will form the basis of the forthcoming consultation. Documents obtained by Putney MP Justine Greening under the Freedom of Information legislation reveal the extent of BAA’s involvement.
Proposed Expansion
‘Secret pact’ over Heathrow’s third runway
The Government is facing calls for an investigation into allegations that it is colluding with BAA, the airport operator, over plans to build a third runway at Heathrow and allow an extra 500 flights a day over London. The Department for Transport has secretly passed key information supporting the expansion to the Spanish-owned company six months before it is due to be published in a consultation document. The department has also allowed senior BAA officials to influence a series of tests designed to show whether the third runway would breach limits on air pollution and noise.
View original article - The Times - 6/6/07
Proposed Expansion
Planning White Paper proposals could speed up 3rd runway at Heathrow
Residents’ rights of challenge to be restricted by “developers’ charter”. The Government’s Planning White Paper, due to be published on Monday, could make it easier for BAA Ferrovial to build a third runway at Heathrow. The White Paper is expected to contain plans to change the public inquiry system in order to speed up the construction of major infrastructure projects such a new runways. The White Paper will propose that the traditional Public Inquiry, where an Inspector hears all the evidence, will be replaced by an Independent Planning Commission (IPC) which will only look at the local impacts of a new development such as local air quality standards, noise concerns and traffic problems.
Opposition to Proposed Expansion
September 2007: Conservatives Call for a Review on Heathrow Expansion
The Conservatives Quality of Life Commission, set up by David Cameron to come up with policy options, has recommended that new runways at Stansted and Gatwick be dropped and that plans for expansion at Heathrow be reviewed, all within the context of a moratorium on airport expansion. View the full report (the section on aviation is on pages 351 – 358). Although these proposals are not yet Party policy, they increase the pressure on the Government over its expansion plans for Heathrow. The Liberal Democrats have already adopted a policy of no new runways in the South East.
Opposition to Proposed Expansion
HACAN welcomes decision of London Assembly to oppose 3rd runway at Heathrow
Campaign group HACAN, representing residents under the Heathrow flight paths, welcomed yesterday’s decision of the London Assembly to oppose a 3rd runway at the airport. The London Assembly overwhelmingly backed the motion to oppose a 3rd runway and a 6th terminal. It also agreed to give “all possible support” to councils, community groups and the Mayor in opposing them.
Opposition to Proposed Expansion
United in opposition to expansion of Heathrow. The opposition to expansion at Heathrow is growing by the month
HACAN and NOTRAG (No Third Runway Action Group) are not alone in opposing further expansion at Heathrow. Never before has there been such powerful – and such united - opposition to expansion at the airport.
The Mayor, Ken Livingstone
"I have made it very clear that I oppose all airport expansion in London and the South East, not just at Heathrow. At Mayor’s Question Time in March this year, I made a commitment that the London Plan will be formally amended in the next phase of its alterations to reflect this clear commitment. "
Local authoriries
Local authorities representing two million people affected by Heathrow expansion have formed a new environmental lobby group – a cross-party alliance called 2M. It will campaign for a halt to the Government’s policy of uncontrolled expansion at Heathrow. Councils attending the inaugural meeting included the London Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond and Wandsworth. Authorities outside London included Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne and Windsor and Maidenhead. Other boroughs have also expressed support for the new group.
Also firm in their opposition:
• The London Assembly• The vast majority of MPs in the area
• The Liberal Democrats
• The Green Party
• National environmental organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Transport 2000
• The direct action network Plane Stupid
Opposition to Proposed Expansion
75% of people back Runway Alternation
Most people living under the Heathrow flight path want runway alternation to continue, a study suggests. The survey for the Mayor of London showed 75% said getting a period of quiet is important to residents. Of those asked, 74% said switching runways - which happens at 1500 GMT everyday at Heathrow - is significant.
According to campaigners, proposals to end the alternation in order to increase capacity are expected to be released this year.
View original article - BBC News - 20/3/06
Future Heathrow Poll at variance with earlier polls. Pressure Group’s connection casts doubt on poll
The opinion poll issued yesterday by the pro-Heathrow expansion group, Future Heathrow, is at variance with earlier polls. Last year the Mayor of London commissioned a major poll from ICM which showed that 75% of people are opposed to any plans to end runway alternation at Heathrow. This ranged from 63% in Lambeth to an overwhelming 78% in Hammersmith and Hounslow and as high as 83% in Richmond and 93% in Hillingdon. These figures are consistent with polling done by the London borough of Hounslow.
Summer 2007: The Climate Camp and BAA Injunction
The Climate Camp
It is now recognised, even with the aviation industry, that the Climate Camp, held in August 2007, helped make Heathrow into a national issue. We understand that the widespread support the Camp received shook the Department for Transport (DfT). Within days of the camp ending Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport, had invited the directors of leading environmental groups for a meeting to discuss aviation policy. Privately, her officials have admitted that the Climate Camp was the trigger for the invite.
Summer 2007: The Climate Camp and BAA Injunction
Court Injunction
BAA failed to get the injunction it was looking for in the High Court in early August. The judge, Mrs Justice Swift, threw out the application for an injunction against HACAN, AirportWatch, NOTRAG (the No Third Runway Action Group) and its Chair, Geraldine Nicholson and ordered BAA to pay their costs. She only granted a narrow injunction against Plane Stupid and anybody acting in concert with them. The named defendents John Stewart, the Chair of HACAN and Joss Garman and Leo Murray, both from Plane Stupid, agreed not to enter Heathrow Airport and selected areas in its vicinity during the month of August and to post the relevant documents on their websites.
Summer 2007: The Climate Camp and BAA Injunction
“From the Mother of All Injunctions to the Mother of All Setbacks”
Campaigners were delighted when the High Court yesterday only granted BAA a very limited injunction for a very limited period. The judge, Mrs Justice Swift, said that the injunction she was granting was “nothing like as wide-ranging as set out by the claimants.” HACAN Chair John Stewart said, “BAA came for the mother of all injunctions but left with the mother of all setbacks.”
Reports and Studies
A major new study published in July 2007 reveals how aircraft noise has become much worse in London over the past decade
The study, carried out by the independent firm of consultants Bureau Veritas and published by the campaign group HACAN, shows that “aircraft nose dominated the local noise environment” in places over 15 miles from the airport. The report, No Place to Hide, also revealed that some parts of East London which are overflown by both City Airport and Heathrow aircraft can get as much aircraft noise as areas of West London.
Read the summary of the report
Read the first report - south east and east London
Read the second report - south east and east London - different aircraft types
Reports and Studies
Short-Haul Flights: Clogging up Heathrow’s Runways
The number of flights using Heathrow could be cut by around 100,000 a year if there were no flights to and from the destinations where there already is a good rail alternative, according to research released today by campaign group HACAN ClearSkies. The research, published to coincide with a national day of action against short haul flights has unearthed some startling figures. It shows that Paris, with 60 flights a day, is Heathrow’s top destination. Amsterdam, in second place, has 50 flights each day. And Brussels, just over two hours from London by train, has 30 daily flights. In total there are around 100,000 flights each year serving the towns with the best rail connections: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Middlesbrough.
Events and Activities
Big Ben to Eiffel Tower: Plane or Train — which is fastest?
Eurostar beats plane to Paris by over 3 hours!
In
the air/train race staged by Heathrow campaign groups on Saturday 16th June
to mark the European Day of Action on Aviation the people who travelled by Eurostar
were on their way home by the time the air travellers would have reached the
Eiffel Tower. Campaigners from Charles de Gaulle Airport raced in the opposite
direction. The races were just one of many activities which took place across
Europe. The theme for this year’s Day of Action is short-distance flights
to highlight the fact that 45% of air trips within Europe are less than 500
kms in length. In fact, Paris is the top destination from Heathrow with 60 flights
a day between the two places. Clich our press release to read the full story
of the race…
Events and Activities
Direct Action: West London residents halt traffic outside Department for Transport Headquarters
West
London residents protesting about plans to expand Heathrow dramatically stopped
traffic in July 2007 outside the Department for Transport (DfT) offices in Central
London before attempting an invasion of the building. The protestors carried
a bed along Marsham Street from the flat of BAA Chief Executive Stephen Nelson
to the Department for Transport. In the bed were two figures symbolising the
close relationship between BAA and the DfT under the slogan “DfT in bed
with BAA”.
Events and Activities
On Tuesday 6th March Heathrow residents disrupted a keynote speech by Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander at an international aviation conference being held in Chatham House, Central London by storming onto the stage
A
party of West London residents and members of Planestupid confronted Douglas
Alexander, the Transport Secretary, at an airline industry conference at Chatham
House, Central London. The party managed to storm past security, and interrupted
Mr Alexander’s speech. John Hunt, of Isleworth, led the charge on to the
stage and delivered a speech denouncing the Government’s plans for a third
runway at Heathrow before being escorted away by a security guard. At the same
time residents staged a demonstration outside Chatham House.
View the Times article - The Times - 7/2/07
Events and Activities
European Day of Action 2006 – Heathrow Rally - United Against Expansion
Rally and March, Saturday 10th June
Nearly
1,000 people braved one of the hottest days of the year last Saturday to take
part in a major protest against any further expansion of Heathrow. The Heathrow
protest, supported by local councils and local campaign groups was part of the
first-ever European Day of Action on Aviation which saw events take place at
over 20 airports across Europe.
Local authorities which took part in the Heathrow rally were Hillingdon, Hounslow, Slough, Richmond, Windsor & Maidenhead and Wandsworth. Also campaign groups HACAN ClearSkies, NoTRAG (No Third Runway Action Group) and Friends of the Earth.
Other News
Local Authorities Win Judicial Review on Night Flights
A judicial review is to be launched by a number of West London authorities to try and overturn the current night flights regime at Heathrow Airport. A High Court Judge gave permission this week for the legal challenge to go ahead and it is set to be heard in the High Court in May or June.
Other News
DfT’s ‘Progress Report’ on Aviation White Paper Published
In December the Government published its review of its 2003 Aviation White Paper – what it called it ‘Progress Report’. In spite of pressure to rethink the expansionist plans in the White Paper, it stuck to its original proposals.
Key Points from the Report
- Business-as-usual’ report – still preparing for an almost trebling in number of passengers using UK airports by 2030
- Confirms Government’s desire for 3rd runway at Heathrow
- Consultation on ending of runway alternation at Heathrow put back until the Spring
- Economic justification of expansion proposals based on a report commissioned by the aviation industry
- A proposal for an ‘Emissions Cost Assessment’ to be produced by government, but details are vague.
For a more detailed summary click Airport Watch
