Heathrow spent almost £1.25 million advertising on TfL properly in the year to June 2017
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show Heathrow Airport spent over £1million advertising on TfL property in the year leading up to the June 2017 general election. Details obtained by campaign group Friends of the Earth reveal that in the 12 months up to 8th June, Heathrow spending on TfL property was £1,244,434. Gatwick Airport spent a total of £255,342 in the same period. The No 3rd Runway Coalition say that whilst the Government announced its own preference for the Heathrow scheme in October 2016, the amount spent by the airport over the period reinforces the view that Heathrow still has some way to go to convince parliament to support its proposals for a 3rd runway. A vote in parliament on the Airports National Policy Statement (for the 3rd runway) is expected in the first half of 2018. Heathrow is uncertain about whether it really can persuade MPs that its deeply environmentally damaging, and economically doubtful, runway plan can succeed – hence the need for so much advertising spend. Rob Barnstone, Coordinator of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “If Heathrow have spent over a million pounds with one organisation, I wonder how much money has been spent across the board. It is alarming that a company the size of Heathrow can buy support in this way.”
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HEATHROW SPEND £1.25M ADVERTISING ON TFL PROPERTY
29.8.2017 (No 3rd Runway Coalition)
Heathrow Airport Limited spent over £1million advertising on TfL property in the year leading up to the general election, it has been revealed.
Figures obtained by campaign group Friends of the Earth reveal that in the twelve months prior to the general election on 8 June, Heathrow Airport Ltd. spending on TfL property amassed to a total of £1,244,434. Gatwick Airport spent a total of £255,342 in the same period (See FoI – Freedom of Information request – copied below).
Whilst the Government announced its own preference for the Heathrow scheme in October 2016, the amount spent by the airport across the period reinforces the view that Heathrow still has some way to go to convince parliament to support proposals for a third runway. A vote on the Airports National Policy Statement is expected in the first half of 2018.
Rob Barnstone, Coordinator of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “No matter how much money Heathrow throw at their campaign to secure support for a third runway, the facts don’t change. A third runway is the most environmentally catastrophic option for UK aviation on grounds of noise pollution, air pollution, cost to the passengers and to the taxpayer, as well as taking over a decade to construct.”
“If Heathrow have spent over a million pounds with one organisation, I wonder how much money has been spent across the board. It is alarming that a company the size of Heathrow can buy support in this way.”
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FOI
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19 July 2017 asking for information about advertising spend by Heathrow & Gatwick owners with TFL.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. You asked:
How much was spent on advertising over 1) the entire TfL network (tube stations, tube carriages, bus stops etc) and 2) at Westminster tube station specifically, by:
- Heathrow (/ their owners BAA), and
- Gatwick (/ their owners Global Infrastructure Partners),
Over the period 8th June 2016 to 8th June 2017 (the year in the run-up to the general election).
Gatwick Airport Limited Total – £255,342
Heathrow Airport Limited Total – £1,244,434
If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
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See earlier:
Spending for ads just on the TfL network – £1.7 million by Heathrow; £1.6 million by Gatwick
Darren Johnson, Green Party Assembly Member at the London Assembly, Great London Authority, has obtained figures for the amount spent by the two airports. This is just on Transport for London, so on buses, tubes and trains. The Mayor revealed that Heathrow spent £1.7 million on advertising across the TfL network (from the start of 2012 until April 2015). Gatwick spent £1.6 million on advertising across the TfL network (from the start of 2014 until April 2015). Darren commented: “I’m not surprised that Heathrow has spent almost two million on ads on buses, tubes and trains. The grim reality of aviation expansion will be more noise, pollution and traffic hell for Londoners. As well as the acceleration of climate change which is the biggest threat to our economy. You need a big budget to paper over those huge cracks in your argument.” In December 2014 campaigners against a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick wrote to the Airports Commission to say the multi-million ££ advertising and PR campaigns being mounted by both airports for their runway plans were “subverting democracy”. They said the advertising was drowning out discussion of alternatives – and the basic question of whether a runway should be built at all.
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Complaint to Airports Commission that ££ multi-million Gatwick & Heathrow ads & PR blitz is ‘subverting democracy’
Campaigners against a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick, have attacked the multi-million ££ advertising and PR campaigns being mounted by both airports for their expansion plans. They say this huge expenditure is “subverting democracy” and drowning out discussion of alternatives – and the basic question of whether a runway should be built at all. A coalition of environmentalists and senior MPs has written to Sir Howard Davies, the head of the Airports Commission, to say the two airports are exerting “unfair influence” because of their marketing power and huge budgets for advertising and PR. There has been a blitz of large adverts in the national press and billboards or posters in prominent places, including Westminster Tube station and also close to the offices of Airports Commission. Heathrow has placed billboards as far afield as Newcastle and Manchester. One media buying agency told The Independent that the cost of both campaigns was likely to have exceeded £7m. Heathrow has also funded an astroturfing campaign called “Back Heathrow”, and repeatedly refused to say how much it has spent – and continues to spend – on this.
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