“Councils surrounding Heathrow and across London are resolutely opposed to expansion and that is not going to change"

Cllr Ravi Govindia has reminded Heathrow bosses that councils across London and the Home Counties are deeply opposed to plans to expand the airport and create new flightpaths.

He said:
“This airport tells us it can fly an additional 550 planes over our homes every day… and it will be quieter. Councils don’t believe them, our residents certainly don’t believe them and nor do our MPs or the Civil Aviation Authority.

“Heathrow should be honest about the impacts on local communities but instead they have manufactured the Back Heathrow ‘community campaign’ which is quite clearly a corporately funded public relations exercise. They cross the line time and time again. If any future Government was to support this toxic project it would have to sacrifice its credibility and take on a colossal mass of opposition.”

Wandsworth is a founding member of the 2M Group of councils – a cross-party alliance concerned about the environmental impact of Heathrow operations on their communities.

The group, which took its name from the 2 million residents of the original 12 authorities, now represents a combined population of 5 million people and was successful in 2010 in overturning plans for a third Heathrow runway in the High Court.

2M members want to reduce night flights, preserve the noise relief provided by runway alternation and to strengthen noise and air quality controls in the areas around the airport. The group is not anti-Heathrow but works together to improve the environment and protect the quality of life for local people.

Find out more at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/heathrow

January 9, 2015