West London residents halt traffic outside DfT Headquarters
West London residents halt traffic outside Department for Transport Headquarters
stopped traffic outside the DfT offices in Central London before attempting an
invasion of the building. They carried a bed – containing 2 figures symbolising
the close relationship between BAA and the DfT under the slogan "DfT in bed with
BAA" – along Marsham Street to the DfT. 20.6.2007
As they crossed Marsham Street a dozen residents halted the traffic when they
painted a runway on the road. The residents, assisted by the direct action network
Plane Stupid, then left the bed outside the DfT offices. The action follows the
revelation last week that the Department for Transport had secretly passed key
information supporting expansion of Heathrow to BAA six months before it is due
to be published. Earlier this month (6th June) the Times www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1890224.ece revealed that "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. The Times has learnt
that BAA has a team of 34 people working with civil servants, influencing the
tests so that they find in favour of building the new runway. The department has
given BAA a full copy of the preliminary results but is refusing to allow any
opponents of the expansion to see them. Mike Forster, BAA’s head of strategy for
Heathrow, admitted at a recent conference that he had seen the results and that
they were "encouraging"." The full report is not expected to be made publicly
available until just before a consultation into plans to expand Heathrow, expected
in the autumn. (Heathrow protesters press release 20.6.2007)
Dept for Transport in bed with BAA