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.
Latest News:Decision on Heathrow postponed until the AutumnAviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick confirmed this at a recent Transport Times Aviation Conference |
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Next Major Event: July 26thIf the worst comes to the worst and the government decision goes against us, what do we do then? A conference for all those opposed to Heathrow expansion to come together to plan the way forward |
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| Stop Press 1: David Cameron says: “There are now increasing grounds to believe that the economic case [for Heathrow expansion] is flawed, even without addressing the serious environmental concerns,” and “The most important priority for Heathrow is making it better, not bigger.” And read what The Independent had to say: John Rentoul: Cameron's stand on Heathrow proves green agenda is not just a gimmick Stop Press 2: RMT Union comes out against Heathrow expansion Read the HACAN Press Release and the full report Stop Press 3: London First backs Cameron’s case London’s top business organisation does not see expansion of Heathrow as the top priority. Read their dramatic new report - executive summary; full research report 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. Remember it’s not too late to sign the Petition against expansion We are exerting great pressure: 70,000 people responded to the consultation – see below Over 3,000 people packed into Central Hall, Westminster for an end-of-consultation rally – see below And thousands took place in the biggest –ever rally against Heathrow expansion at the end of May – see below We will aim to keep you up-to-date with the campaign as it develops Keep checking the website! Things you can do:
Click here for the arguments against expansion (Heathrow Expansion – reasons to oppose it).
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The story so far
Last November the Government put its proposals to expand Heathrow out to public consultation. It wants:
- More planes on the existing runways buy abolishing runway alternation (the practice where planes landing over London switch runways at 3pm in order to give the residents in the boroughs closest to Heathrow a half day’s break from the noise). The number of flights using the airport would rise from 475,000 (last year) to at least 540,000 a year.
- A 3rd runway and 6th terminal. Flight numbers would rise to over 700,000 a year. At least 700 homes would be destroyed, including the entire village of Sipson. At least 150,000 people would find themselves under the new flight path.
- The consultation ended on 27th February. 70,000 people responded to the consultation.
- The proposals have generated unprecedented opposition. The proposals have been criticised because of their impact on the environment and on people’s quality of life. But leading economic commentators also argue they are not required for economic reasons.
- The Government says it will announce a decision by the end of the year. If they give an in-principle go-ahead, it will be then up to the airport operator to come up with detailed proposals.
The Next Event
Conference 26th JulyHarlington Baptist Church, High St, Harlington* It will run from midday until 5pm with lunch at around 1pm. “What do we do if the worst comes to the worst and the Government says ‘yes’?”HACAN, NoTRAG (No Runway Action Group), the Camp for Climate Action and Greenpeace are organising this unique conference where people opposed to expansion will have a chance to discuss what we can all do if the decision goes against us. We expect MPs and local politicians will be joining us. The conference provides a chance to consider a range of ideas: Political lobbying Getting across the environmental and economic arguments What we can do as individuals Demonstrations and direct action The Programme for the
Day There will be short introductory talks on the latest state
of play, on the implications of expansion for noise, climate change
and community destruction, and around ideas for effective campaigning. The event will be free but small donations on the day towards lunch will be welcome! The event will be perfectly legal! It would be ideal if you could let us know if plan to come - email info@hacan.org.uk The conference will be a very visible sign to government and the aviation industry that a whole range of different people, coming from different perspectives, are sitting down together calmly discussing what they do next. * About 8 minutes walk from Bath Road. Buses 90 from Feltham, Hatton Cross or Hayes and Harlington Station; 140 from Heathrow or Hayes and Harlington Station; H98 from Hounslow, Cranford or Hayes and Harlington Station - all stop outside the church. Limited parking available. |
The biggest-ever
demonstration against Heathrow Expansion
On 31st May thousands of people took part in the biggest-ever demonstration against expansion at Heathrow. Local residents who had never marched before. Experienced environmental campaigners. Direct action activists. MPs from all parties. Local authorities. National environmental organisations such as Greenpeace. Campaigners from other airports. All came together to say NO to further expansion at Heathrow.
Marchers formed the biggest NO ever seen
Another Flash Mob took place
Date: 3rd July
Place: outside the Department for Transport
Time: 11.03am (precisely!)
Purpose: To get our message to Ruth Kelly
Around 100 people took party in the Flash Mob throwing paper planes at the Department for Transport, each will a message for Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly. The campaigners were joined by leading Liberal Democrat Vincent Cable and Green Assembly Member Jenny Jones. All the paper planes were gathered up afterwards. On the same day Plane Stupid played aircraft noise through the door of Ruth Kelly’s London home at 7.30am at 56 decibels – below the level where the Government says it annoys people.
The first Flash Mob on the first day of Terminal 5
Opposition to expansion items
David Cameron paved the way for a Conservative government to block a third runway at Heathrow in a landmark speech on the environment on Monday (16th June)
View Financial Times article: Cameron queries Heathrow expansion
And the Evening Standard: PM faked the case for third runway claims Cameron
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.
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 former 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. "
Stop Press: The new Mayor Boris Johnson is also opposed to expansion at Heathrow Writing in the Richmond and Twickenham Times, Boris Johnson said: ” I am writing to reiterate my absolute opposition to the further expansion of Heathrow, and to pleade that I will fight expansion every step of the way.” |
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
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
Collusion Items
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.
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.
‘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
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.
During the consultation
period 20,000 people attended public meetings
across London and the Home Counties |
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’.
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 expansion
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.
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.
| “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 |
Action Items
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.
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.
Tuesday 20th May 2007
Protest Vigil: outside the Houses of Commons
A
group of mothers organised 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.
Tuesday 6th March 2007
Residents Disrupt Ministers’ Speech
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. 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
July 2007
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”.
June 2006
European Day of Action 2006 – Heathrow Rally - United Against Expansion
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.
Expansion Proposal Items
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.
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.
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)
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.
| 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. |
News Items
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.
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
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.
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…
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
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
