News April 2009 to Feb 2010

16th October 2009    

London’s mayor is to press ahead with the next stage of plans for an airport
in the Thames estuary. A report by an engineer is understood to have found no
major obstacles to constructing the airport several miles off the Essex and Kent
coasts. Boris Johnson is expected to announce he is to proceed with more engineering
and environmental assessments. It has angered environmentalists and Kent County
Council has said it would fight the plans. (BBC)   Click here to view full story…

David Wilshire to stand down over £100,000 allowances paid to own company

16th October 2009    

David Wilshire, a Conservative MP who is facing questions over why he paid more
than £100,000 of public money to his own company, will not stand at the next general
election. He had referred himself to John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner
for Standards, after the sums he had paid to Moorlands Research Services between
2005 and 2008 were revealed. (David Wilshire has been a strong advocate of the
third runway at Heathrow). (Times)     Click here to view full story…

BAA blasts Tory plan to axe Heathrow third runway

15th October 2009      

 BAA is trying to get us to believe the third runway at Heathrow is vital. They
say businesses will face “disaster” under Tory plans to scrap runway. Not surprisingly,
Mike Forster, R3 (third runway) director at BAA, said the Tories’ alternative
plan to build more international capacity at regional airports and high-speed
rail lines to replace domestic air services “just won’t work”. He said “The Tory
party simply doesn’t get aviation policy.” (Standard)         Click here to view full story…

 In depth: Heathrow third runway

14th October 2009      

A Sunday Times article reported ‘senior BAA figures’ claiming they would wait
until the General election before submitting the plans. By Monday morning, BAA
attempted to save face, with their press office issuing a statement suggesting
they were continuing to work on the scheme. It will be virtually impossible for
BAA to bring it back in 5 – 10 year’s time. It lacks public support. Climate change
and rising oil prices are likely to knock new runways for six.         Click here to view full story…

Even with no new runway Heathrow is still far too big

14th October 2009      

Simon Jenkins asks: So is it victory? Sensational weekend reports that BAA has
abandoned its bid for a 3rd runway at Heathrow remain unconfirmed, and indeed
denied by the company. If green policy is to mean anything it must curb mobility,
and that will mainly be by price. Heathrow is essentially an urban airport imposing
severe external costs on its city. It should be made very expensive to use.    
Click here to view full story…

BAA to give up on third Heathrow runway

  BAA has bowed to opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow.   It will not submit a planning application before the general election and will not sign large contracts to “bounce” a future Conservative government into accepting it. Senior BAA figures have also told the Tories the company will cease to fight for the runway if they
form the next government.   Its new stance means the taxpayer will not be forced
to pay a large sum in compensation for any wasted work.   Publicly, BAA executives
are urging the Tories not to &lquot;close the door&rquot; on expansion plans and say they
are still working on the project.     But they admitted they were surrendering.   11.10.2009   More …..     and  NoTRAG comment

Oil rich sheikhs to fund ‘Boris Island’ airport in middle of Thames estuary

9th October 2009          

Oil rich Arab sheikhs are prepared to fund London Mayor Boris Johnson’s ambitious
£40billion plan to build an airport in the middle of Thames estuary, according
to its supporters. The project might be entirely bankrolled and owned by Gulf
states such as Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and even the Chinese
are interested. It would replace Heathrow and plans show it would dwarf the capacity
of Heathrow’s existing two runways. (Mail)       Click here to view full story…

Tories pledge to axe Heathrow third runway

7th October 2009      

 Julian Brazier, the Shadow transport minister, has confirmed that the Tories
will include a commitment to scrap plans for a t3rd runway at Heathrow in their
general election manifesto. Brazier said building more runways round London is
not the answer. However, he added they want to focus instead on improving capacity
at regional airports and building more high-speed trains. Only a quarter of Heathrow
passengers are doing business in Britain. (Standard)       Click here to view full story…

BA to axe short-haul flights if third runway is blocked

Heathrow Airport Queen’s Building demolition work beginning

 30th September 2009      

Demolition of the oldest building at Heathrow has begun as part of a £1bn refurbishment.
The Queen’s Building at Terminal 2, which opened in 1955, will be knocked down
by January 2010 when demolition of the rest of the terminal will begin. BAA said
Terminal 2 serves 8 million passengers per year but it will serve 20 million when
refurbishment is complete in 2013. (BBC)   Click here to view full story…

Economic case for Heathrow 3rd runway flawed, figures show

18th September 2009         The Lib Dems say new figures show the government’s support for the new runway
is a ‘sham’ and have demanded that plans to expand the airport are scrapped. Their
analysis shows economic benefits of a 3rd runway ay Heathrow will be almost wiped
out by the increased costs to the environment. Ministers have hugely underestimated
the financial impact of the extra greenhouse gases produced by a 3rd runway, which
would be a climate change disaster. (Guardian)         Click here to view full story…

Carbon emissions cap may halt 3rd Heathrow runway

10th September 2009           Plans for a 3rd runway at Heathrow came under fresh assault as the CCC – the
Government’s own climate change adviser – called for deep cuts in Britain’s CO2
emission levels. Its report came as leading Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas urged
Gordon Brown to abandon his plans for the runway, a move that puts at risk a swathe
of marginal seats in west London. He said it made environmental and political
sense to halt the new runway before it was too late. (Standard)         Click here to view full story…  

Bmi drops two routes from Heathrow

  8th September 2009         Bmi is dropping routes from Heathrow to Palma and Venice this winter. The airline
ends flights to Palma,Majorca on November 3rd followed by Venice on November 15th.
The compnay said there is stiff competition on the London to Palma and Venice
routes, and they are not profitable. (TravelMole)         Click here to view full story…

 11th August 2009         BAA has unveiled plans for the new £1 billion Terminal 2 which will become the
new home for Star Alliance airlines and will provide an estimated 20 million passengers
every year. The development of Heathrow’s Terminal 2 is part of a £4.8 billion
investment across the airport. Construction on the first phase is due for completion
in 2013, and phase 2 in 2019. It will increase the capacity of Terminal 2 to 30
million passengers a year. (NCE)           Click here to view full story…

 Heathrow’s bumper July gives BAA hope of recovery

 11th August 2009         Heathrow had its third busiest month in July in the latest sign that “the worst
of the UK aviation downturn may be over.” It handled 6.48m passengers, up 0.9%
year-on-year – though total traffic for the latest 12 months is down 3% at 65.7m
passengers. BAA’s total passenger numbers fell for the 16th consecutive month,
down 2.4% to 14.5m. The surge was partly due to families giving up on hopes of
English sun and booking last-minute breaks abroad.         Click here to view full story…

BAA July traffic figures – BAA airport traffic stabilising

 10th August 2009       BAA data for July show passengers at BAA UK airports were down 2.4% compared
to July 2008. They were down 4.8% at Gatwick, down 5.7% at Stansted, down 12.9%
at Glasgow, and down 9% at Aberdeen – smaller drops than in previous months. However,
passengers were up 0.9% at Heathrow, and up 5.6% at Edinburgh. Air traffic movements
were down 5.1% at BAA UK airports, and down 3% at Heathrow. UK domestic traffic
was 4.8%, and European scheduled traffic rose 1.2%. (BAA)         Click here to view full story…

BAA expects rise in Heathrow passenger numbers

 10th August 2009         BAA showed a rise in July passengers at Heathrow of 0.9% compared to July 2008.
Total passenger numbers across the group – including all BAA UK airports showed
a marked slowdown in the rate of decline, down -2.4% on July 2008. It says this
reinforces the claim that it does not need to sell Gatwick to meet a £1bn debt
payment. The company argues it can make a crucial £1bn debt repayment next March
without having to sell assets or access new capital. (Guardian)         Click here to view full story…

Heathrow expansion protesters win legal challenge

7th August 2009         The case against the expansion of Heathrow will be heard in public later this year after a High Court victory by a coalition of green groups, councils and local
residents. The judge ruled that the case for the 3rd runway must be held in open
court because of the public interest element. A 3-day hearing, expected in the
autumn, could pave the way for the full judicial review. Mrs Justice Dobbs said
there are some areas in which clarification is desirable. (FT)          Click here to view full story…

Heathrow campaigners granted Court hearing over third runway decision

6th August 2009     Campaigners against the third runway at Heathrow have been granted a hearing
in the High Court to rule on the campaigners’ complaints. In doing so the Judge
recognised the &lquot;significant public interest element to the case&rquot; as well as the
need for &lquot;clarification&rquot; of the Transport Secretary’s statement to Parliament
in January giving the green light to expansion.   HACAN  is delighted to get a court
hearing, which puts the  Government on the defensive over its controversial third
runway decision.   Click here to view full story…

BAA advertising jobs at Heathrow – “R3 career opportunities”

5th August 2009         BAA is advertising for staff to help them plan their third runway at Heathrow.
All sorts of jobs from Head of surface access strategy – c. £100,000 to Head of
R3 consultation – c. £70,000 down to Environment assessment manager – c. £55,000
… and more. You can even apply through Plane Stupid …         Click here to view full story…

BAA not backing down over Airtrack depot at Feltham

1st August 2009         BAA has refused to back down over plans to build a train depot on a Feltham conservation
area – despite opposition from 300 residents. BAA is planning to use the former
marshalling yard, a designated nature reserve, as a depot to store, maintain and
clean the fleet of trains for its proposed Airtrack link between Waterloo and
Heathrow. Residents, councillors and MP Alan Keen made their opposition known
but last Friday BAA said it was going ahead. (Chronicle)       Click here to view full story…

 Heathrow airport noise pollution study ‘illogical’, says top aviation scientist

 1st August 2009       The CAA’s former chief scientist has called on the Government to commission a
new study into the effects of aircraft noise on residents around Heathrow. Anti-expansion
campaigners and local councils, including Wandsworth, said the call could be used
as part of a legal challenge against the Government’s planned expansion. Professor
Brooker said the Government’s position on aircraft noise was “illogical”, and
the onset of “significant community annoyance” is 50 decibels rather than 57 –
the DfT level. (Local Guardian)    Click here to view full story…

 31st July 2009         BA has reported a pre-tax loss of £148m in the 3 months to the end of June. This
compares with a profit of £37m in the same period last year. Its operating loss
of £94m compares with a profit of £35m last year. Revenues fell 12.2% to £1.983bn
in the quarter. BA has cut staff by 1,450 since the end of March. Total operating
costs are down 6.6%. 70% of its fuel is hedged for the full financial year at
$71 a barrel. During winter 2010 22 aircraft will be parked. (BBC)         Click here to view full story…

29th July 2009         Losses at BAA’s London airports more than tripled to £545 million in the first
6 months after their pension scheme was revalued downwards. Exceptional items
pushed BAA into the red although its underlying earnings rose 28% to £469.9 million.
Revenue also increased by 12.8% to £1.1 billion in the 1st half despite a 7.4%
drop in passenger numbers to 55.2 million. Heathrow was the most resilient with
only a 3.9% cent drop. (Times)        Click here to view full story…

 24th July 2009       With the addition of T5, Heathrow is now home to more than 500 shops, while Gatwick,
which is currently refurbishing its South Terminal, has started to attract cooler
brands such as All Saints. BAA says passengers can choose from cutting-edge brands
they might find on the high street but at airport prices. A retain expert says
customers are getting the “brand experience.” You get the service and the branded
bag – that adds a certain glamour. (Metro)   Click here to view full story…

 Tories deny Heathrow third runway U-turn

23rd July 2009         The Conservatives have been forced to deny a change of policy after a front-bencher
– Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – hinted that the party might drop its opposition to
a 3rd runway at Heathrow. Theresa Villiers, shadow transport secretary, said:
“Our position is clear and will not change. Under a Conservative government there
will be no 3rd runway at Heathrow.” But there remains some suppressed support
for the runway within the party. (Telegraph)       Click here to view full story…

Tories deny they plan to drop opposition to new Heathrow runway

22nd July 2009         The Tories today sought to quash talk that they will abandon their opposition
to a 3rd runway at Heathrow. Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers slapped
down a fellow frontbencher, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who had said the party’s policy
on airport expansion may have to be &lquot;revisited&rquot; after the general election. Ms
Villiers said: &lquot;Our position is clear and will not change. Under a Conservative
government there will be no 3rd runway”. (Standard)         Click here to view full story…

Tories hint at U-turn over third runway for Heathrow

22nd July 2009         David Cameron’s policy on Heathrow expansion was thrown into doubt after a Tory
frontbencher, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, suggested a U-turn may be done on opposing
a 3rd runway. Clifton-Brown has publicly raised the prospect that this stance,
which helped Mr Cameron burnish his green credentials, may be “revisited” after
the general election, expected in May next year. These comments will alarm many
west London residents. (Standard)   Click here to view full story…

Heathrow campaigners picnic on the site of the 3rd runway

 21st July 2009         A plot of land with over 50,000 &lquot;owners&rquot; near Heathrow Airport was the venue
for a picnic organised by the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG) as part of
The Big Lunch initiative on Sunday. The Airplot in Sipson was bought by Greenpeace,
and now has over 50,000 beneficial owners, becoming a symbol of defiance, as well
as an allotment and a small nature reserve. Even the blustery winds and light
summer drizzle did not dampen the campaigners’ spirits.           Click here to view full story…

ABTA doubts Heathrow third runway will be built

16th July 2009       A third runway at Heathrow is increasingly unlikely to be built, as the Labour
Government ‘runs out of momentum’ and the Conservative party continue to pledge
to block it, Travel Weekly reports that an ABTA (Association of British Travel
Agents) spokesman has warned. The group’s public affairs spokesman said political
will is dying for the project. (UK Airport News)       Click here to view full story…

Tories urged to back Heathrow expansion

 14th July 2009         The British Chambers of Commerce have produced a report claiming the direct economic
benefit of adding capacity at Heathrow would be in the region of £300m – £500m
a year. They are appealing to the Conservative party to reverse its opposition
to the building of a 3rd runway, warning the policy would cost the economy billions
of pounds in lost productivity. (FT)         Click here to view full story…

British Airways to Sharpen Premium-Class Focus Amid Drop in Travel

14th July 2009       Europe’s 3rd-largest airline, plans to sharpen its focus on business fliers as
the recession saps travel demand. All-business-class flights between London City
Airport and New York start in September. A promotion begins today offering U.S.
executives free travel to Europe to promote their companies. &lquot;We will continue
to position ourselves as a premium airline, that is absolutely core to our business
model,&rquot; said a BA spokesman in the US. (Bloomberg)       Click here to view full story…

 A 3rd runway at Heathrow would add £30 billion to UK economy, says new study
by the British Chambers of Commerce

 14th July 2009         The new report, entitled “Economic Impacts of Hub Airports” claims that each
year the runway is delayed costs the country between £900m and £1.1bn. They claim
that building the runway would add £30 billion to the UK economy, and that it
would deliver between £8.6bn and £12.8bn in increased productivity, and approximately
£20bn in wider economic benefits, such as higher levels of employment – over 60
years. See also rebuttal by Hacan. (Chambers of Commerce)         Click here to view full story…

Leading us astray on Heathrow – BAA lobbying

13th July 2009         The aviation minister, and others, have misled parliament over BAA’s lobbying
for a 3rd Heathrow runway. The DfT’s obstructiveness in refusing to publish a
widely publicised letter made a mockery of Gordon Brown’s promise of open government.
Now the truth is out and Paul Clark has been caught misleading parliament. There
are many things in the letter that were not in the press release, in contrast
to claims by the DfT, witholding it. (Guardian)         Click here to view full story…

Heathrow-on-Sea set for takeoff

 13th July 2009         The airport, which could cost £40 billion, would span 4 runways across 2 islands
and operate 24 hours a day, with landings over water to minimise disruption to
residents. It would be linked to mainland terminals by either bridges or tunnels,
and powered by giant water turbines. On Wednesday a panel of experts at the ICE
will discuss the plans. It will be led by Sir David King, who will submit his
research to Boris Johnson 3 weeks later. (Times)     Click here to view full story…

World’s first Personal Rapid Transit System bursts onto scene at Heathrow

 10th July 2009       At Heathrow the world’s first Personal Rapid Transit system reached a milestone
this week as the system was officially handed over from construction to operational
testing. When the system is launched, passengers will board PRT vehicles at one
of three stations and select their chosen destination using a touch screen. The
programmed vehicle takes them directly to their destination, at speeds up to 40kph
along dedicated guideways. (BAA)       Click here to view full story…

Cut Heathrow ‘stacking’, say MPs

 10th July 2009       A report by the Commons Transport Committee, on the use of airspace, has been
published. It says government must reduce the number of planes allowed to “stack”
over south-east England, and that stacking needs to be cut if a 3rd Heathrow runway
is built. Also ministers should examine limiting noise levels and aircraft numbers
over sensitive areas, and current guidance appears to allow unchecked increases
in aviation over national parks. (BBC)     Click here to view full story…

New peril to Heathrow pilots from attacks by £10 laser guns

 8th July 2009       Pilots landing and taking off at Heathrow and Gatwick are reporting a dramatic
increase in the number of laser beams fired into their cockpits. More lives are
being put at risk by £10 laser guns bought from corner shops and online. BALPA
warned that unless the culprits are stopped it is only a matter of time before
a pilot is blinded, and passengers are at risk. Incidents rose to 206 last year
compared with just 3 in 2003 and 29 in 2007. (Standard)     Click here to view full story…

Heathrow gets staff on their bikes

 1st July 2009       BAA is launching a scheme to get staff members cycling to work, in partnership
with Halfords. This is a government initiative to get employees cycling to work
and eligible BAA staff will be entitled to tax-free benefits to encourage them
to get a bike if they sign up in July. The costs of bike hire for the first year
are taken from staff pay before tax and NI, and BAA pays the VAT. There is a target
of reducing employee car use by 1% year on year at Heathrow.       (BAA)       Click here to view full story…

Thousands stranded by Heathrow Terminal 5 baggage failure

29th June 2009         Thousands of passengers at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 were left stranded after a mechanical
fault on the baggage system meant they were unable to check in their luggage.
An estimated 5,000 passengers were unable to board their flights, leading to serious
disruption over a period of up to 5 hours. Sources at the airport said about 5,000
passengers had been affected. (Telegraph)       Click here to view full story…

 Heathrow Cherry Lane Cemetery – 10 Downing Street response

 28th June 2009         10 Downing Street has published its reponse to the Cherry Lane petition. It states:
… it is now for BAA to develop final details and bring forward a planning application.
BAA have confirmed that they will only develop schemes that avoid the cemetery.
Similarly, the Highways Agency have also ruled out any plans affecting the cemetery.
(10 Downing Street website)         Click here to view full story…

Heathrow Terminal 5 to become art gallery

 28th June 2009         Plans being drawn up by the Government would see the newest terminal at Heathrow
showcasing masterpieces from the national collections, together with contemporary
art works. Proposals include securing short-term loans of artworks held in the
national collections, hosting exhibitions of sculpture and installation works
by contemporary artists. Several airports in the United States have already established
similar programmes. (Telegraph)         Click here to view full story…

British Airways to end 4 Gatwick services and switch 5 to Heathrow

24th June 2009     British Airways is to transfer 5 services from London Gatwick to Heathrow with
the start of its winter schedule. Its flights to Barcelona, Gibraltar, Madrid,
Malaga and Pisa will switch airports with effect from Sunday 25 October 2009.
BA is transferring passengers on affected flights to alternative flights to and
from Heathrow. From the same date, the carrier has cancelled services from Gatwick
to Alicante, Krakow, Malta and Palma. (Times)     Click here to view full story…

Council plans to make Heathrow noise free

23rd June 2009         People living near Heathrow should have the right to a noise free future according
to Hounslow council bosses. Heathrow could become the world’s 1st noise free airport
if plans being drawn up by environmental experts are given Government backing.
BAA admitted publicly that the number of people affected by noise from Heathrow
was double their previous estimates, and its own noise action plan makes no firm
commitment to reduce noise. (Dash24)         Click here to view full story…

Heathrow: Taxpayers ‘could pay for runway’

17th June 2009       MP John McDonnell has said taxpayers could end up subsidising the £9bn bill for
a 3rd runway because of the “precarious” finances of the airport’s operator. He
was speaking amid reports on what would happen if BAA went into administration.
A BAA spokesman reiterated that the cost of developing Heathrow “will be met by
the private sector”. Transport Minister Paul Clark didn’t answer the BAA claims
but insisted expansion was vital for the UK economy. (BBC)         Click here to view full story…

BAA noise action plan for Heathrow sets out no firm plans to reduce noise from
aircraft

 16th June 2009         In its Noise Action Plan for Heathrow, just published for a 16 week period of
public consultation, BAA has been forced to acknowledge for the first time that
over 700,000 people are affected by aircraft noise from the airport, more than
twice the number it previously admitted to (300,000). The action plan is described
as &lquot;deeply disappointing&rquot; by HACAN, because it sets out no firm plans to reduce
noise from the airport. Defra has shirked its responsibilities.   (HACAN)     Click here to view full story…

Hoon exit: ‘time for Heathrow rethink’

16th June 2009         Geoff Hoon’s resignation provides an opportunity for the Government to rethink
its policy towards Heathrow expansion, according to the 2M Group. Hounslow Council’s
leader, Cllr Peter Thompson, speaking on behalf of 2M said that Lord Adonis now
has the chance to draw a line under the Hoon era and take a long, hard look at
just how a 3rd runway squares with the Government’s key policies on climate change.
They are seeking an early meeting with him. (eGov monitor)       Click here to view full story…

Ministers ‘misled’ MPs over Heathrow

14th June 2009           The government has been accused of misleading MPs by trying to cover up lobbying
of ministers by BAA, over the expansion of Heathrow. Conservative MPs believe
they were given inaccurate replies to questions in parliament about whether Lord
Mandelson’s business department had met BAA to discuss expanding the airport.
Justine Greening will now ask the Speaker, to investigate. Official figures now
show higher illness figures around Heathrow. (Sunday Times)         Click here to view full story…

New research from HACAN challenges official Noise Action Plans

Is your environment damaging your health? New center aims to find out

 1st June 2009         The damage that our modern living and working environment could be doing to our
health will be investigated by a new 5M MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health
at Imperial College London and King’s College London. Projects planned at the
new Centre include a study of people living near Heathrow, exploring how air and
noise pollution can affect people’s health. It will analyse the effects of living
near road traffic from airport uses as well as planes. (GEN)     Click here to view full story…

1st June 2009         The state-of-the-art £4.3billion building, used by British Airways, has been
hit by a form of subsidence that is gradually pushing it upwards. The phenomenon,
known as heave, is caused by swelling of the notoriously troublesome London Clay
on which the terminal is built. Tiles have reportedly had to be repaired and experts
have been called in to assess the situation. The movement is unlikely to be a
short-term issue. (Mail)       Click here to view full story…

25th May 2009       Residents and activists teamed up on Bank Holiday Monday to transplant hundreds
of plants from this year’s Chelsea Flower show, under the expert eyes of a top
Chelsea garden designer, and guerrilla gardeners. By the end of the day, Sipson,
Harmondsworth and Harlington were all blooming, in colourful defiance of BAA’s
plans. There were even strawberries and nasturtiums to help fill the vegetable
plots on the Airplot allotment as well. (Greenpeace)           Click here to view full story…

26th May 2009       In the last fortnight, however, he has found himself in the same camp as tree-huggers
and the Conservative Party as an opponent of the proposed third runway at Heathrow.
Mr Cheshire is one of the 13 heavyweight signatories of an open letter urging
the Government to rethink its Heathrow expansion plans – debunking the myth that
business is squarely behind the 3rd runway. They want a proper debate before deciding
to double the concrete at Heathrow. (Telegraph)       Click here to view full story…  

Heathrow third runway a mistake, says Lord Stern

23rd May 2009       The decision to allow a 3rd runway at Heathrow was a mistake, according to Lord
Stern – one of the government’s most senior advisers on the economics of climate
change. He said if the decision had been properly considered in light of the UK’s
­climate targets, he thought it would not have been granted and we cannot have
an ambitious carbon policy and then take a decision like that on Heathrow, without
a much tighter relationship with that policy. (Guardian)   Click here to view full story…

Activists from Heathrow and 5 other European airports in ‘Euroflashmob’

Flash mob protesters descended on Heathrow to sing against airport expansion
in a Eurovision-themed demonstration. On the day of the Eurovision song contest,
activists wearing bright red ‘Stop Airport Expansion’ T-shirts gathered at Terminal
1 while similar protests took place at Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin
and Paris. Emphasising the plight of the villagers of Sipson, protesters performed
an adaptation of the 1996 hit, “Just a Little Bit”, by Gina G. Waving European
flags, they sang: “Ooh ahh – no 3rd runway, ooh ahh, we don’t want more, ooh ahh
– saving Sipson, It’s a fight you can’t ignore.”   16.5.2009     More …

Photos of all 6 flashmobs on Flickr.

 

  

The Good Life’s Richard Briers digs for victory over third runway

Good Life actor Richard Briers and Gardeners’ World presenter Alys Fowler have
joined the fight against a 3rd runway at Heathrow by planting an allotment on
the proposed runway site.   They joined villagers in planting two Bright Future
apple trees and a selection of vegetables from the Heritage Seed Library.The land
in Sipson was bought by Greenpeace in November and is now owned by 45,000 of its
members including Emma Thompson, Zac Goldsmith and Alistair McGowan. 12.5.2009  
More …..

 

Case made for Inverness to Heathrow link

13th May 2009       The Commons Transport committee will be urged to back calls for the restoration of direct air links between Inverness and Heathrow. It is conducting an inquiry
into &lquot;The Future of Aviation&rquot; and may want to support the proposition that airports on the periphery, like Inverness and Aberdeen, should receive favourable treatment at the UK’s main hub compared with closer regional airports with quicker ground
transport routes to London. (Press & Journal)       Click here to view full story…

 

Top business executives lead revolt on Heathrow 3rd runway

The leaders of some of Britain’s biggest companies have begun a revolt against
plans for a 3rd runway at Heathrow. The campaign includes chief executives of
leading companies – J Sainsbury, Carphone Warehouse, Kingfisher, and Compass.
One group member said many people in business have misgivings about the decision
on the 3rd runway, and it’s possible to be pro-transport, pro-aviation and yet,
at the same time, pro responsible citizenship – and the real business case for
the expansion has not been made.   3.5.2009   More …..

Oral evidence to the Transport Select Committee on Heathrow noise

10th May 2009           At a recent meeting of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee some thought-provoking
comments emerged about the monitoring of noise levels around the UK’s airports.
In response to a question on whether noise pollution should be part of the Environment
Agency’s remit on Heathrow, Lord Smith agreed that it would make sense in order
to establish a joined-up approach. But the Agency has no experience yet of carrying
out noise pollution assessment.         Click here to view full story…

 3rd May 2009     Activists opposed to a 3rd runway at Heathrow held a mock funeral to highlight a cemetery which could be affected. Campaigners fear a dual carriageway may be built through Cherry Lane Cemetery in Harlington to link the planned runway and
a 6th terminal. Activists marched from Trafalgar Square to Westminster led by
a hearse, and a second event at Harlingdon. BAA say they have scrapped the plans,
but Cherry Lane Against Development doubt the promise. (BBC)         Click here to view full story…

–   That the decision will seriously undermine the Government’s efforts to meet
its emissions target to tackle climate change;

 –   That the final plan the Government adopted was so different from the proposals
it consulted on there should have been further consultation.

The coalition will argue that Transport Minister Geoff Hoon arrived at his decision
on a potentially half-capacity third runway, which was different to the fully-operational
runway in the consultation.       Click here to view full story …..

5th April 2009         Whitehall officials asked Merrill Lynch to investigate the &lquot;robustness&rquot; of BAA’s
finances before Christmas after a slump in its bonds. The Merrill Lynch report,
revealed under FoI, also covered Ferrovial. Disclosure of official concern over
BAA’s finances will add to City fears over BAA and increase speculation that it
may need to raise fresh debt or equity. Some transport experts believe the group
may struggle to fund a 3rd runway. (Sunday Times)  

Click here to view full story…