Council leaders across several London and nearby boroughs are urging the Government to tighten its proposed tests for Heathrow expansion, arguing the current plans do not adequately protect residents from more noise, pollution and congestion.
In a joint letter to the Transport Secretary, leaders from Richmond, Wandsworth, Southwark, Hillingdon, Kingston, Sutton and Windsor & Maidenhead say the Government has not yet made a convincing case for a third runway. They also argue that the proposed Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement does not provide strong enough safeguards on aircraft noise, air quality, climate change and local community impacts.
Richmond Council leader Councillor Gareth Roberts said Heathrow is important to London’s economy, but not at the expense of residents facing more noise, dirtier air and greater congestion. He said the Government must properly justify the need for expansion and put robust protections in place before making any decision.
The councils want the Government to consider alternatives first, including better use of existing airport capacity, improved rail links and shifting domestic travel from air to rail. Their letter highlights concerns about aircraft noise over homes, schools and parks, disturbed sleep from early and late flights, road congestion, and the possible weakening of existing protections such as runway alternation and respite.
They also call for:
- proper evidence that expansion is needed
- noise assessment based on residents’ real experience
- a genuine reduction in night flights
- monitoring of ultrafine particles
- avoiding any premature designation of Heathrow as Critical National Growth Infrastructure
Read the co-signed letter here: https://www.richmond.gov.uk/media/dwlphnhw/co_signed_letter_heathrow_planning_policy_consultation.pdf
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I am entirely in agreement with the opinions expressed in the joint letter and am glad that the council of Wandsworth Borough, in which I live, is one of the signatories. In the light of the marginal effect that Heathrow expansion is expected to have on the national economy, it would appear that the main motivation for this eye-wateringly extravagant and highly disruptive project is merely to enhance the prestige of Heathrow in the premier league of international airports – hardly justification for the amount of inconvenience it will cause for many and the outright misery it will cause for those displaced to make way for it. And the hike in landing charges and airport dues for passengers will likely drive airlines and passengers to seek alternatives elsewhere, meaning that the growth in aircraft movements and passenger numbers that it is supposed to bring (and that is its whole raison d’être) will never, in fact, materialise, leaving the project as a hyper-expensive white elephant. Shades of HS2.