Protesters stage silent air pollution demonstration at Heathrow Terminal 5

Around 50 campaigners have staged a silent protest against air pollution in Heathrow Terminal 5.  The protesters wore face masks and t-shirts to make their point that the high air pollution levels in the Heathrow area should rule out its plans for a 3rd runway. The protest was just days after the Airports Commission announced a further consultation into air pollution at Heathrow, and a fortnight after the Supreme Court ordered the UK Government to produce plans by the end of the year on how it intends to tackle pollution across the country. The protesters at Terminal 5 included local people whose homes are threatened by a 3rd runway, activists based at Transition Heathrow and residents whose lives are disturbed by aircraft noise.  Air pollution already affects local communities badly, with the amount of road traffic generated by the airport. It will not be possible for Heathrow to guarantee that, with a 3rd runway and an extra quarter of a million planes each year, and associated road vehicle journeys, air pollution levels could be reduced so they meet the EU legal limits. The Airports Commission’s consultation closes on 29th May, and its findings will be included in the Commission’s final report which is expected to be published in June. 
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Protesters stage silent air pollution demonstration at Heathrow Terminal 5

10.5.2015 (HACAN)

 

 Protesters Stage Silent Air Pollution Demo in Terminal 5

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Around 50 campaigners staged a silent protest against air pollution in Terminal 5 this afternoon.  The protesters donned masks and t-shirts to make their point that the high air pollution levels in the Heathrow area should rule out a third runway at the airport.

The protest comes just days after the Airports Commission announced a further consultation into air pollution at Heathrow and a fortnight after the Supreme Court ordered the UK Government to produce plans by the end of the year on how it intends to tackle pollution across the country.

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The protesters at Terminal 5 included local people whose homes are threatened by a third runway, activists based at Transition Heathrow and residents whose lives are disturbed by aircraft noise.

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Local resident Neil Keveren, whose home faces demolition if a third runway goes ahead, said, “Right now air pollution badly affects our communities.  In a number of our areas pollution levels are above the legal limits set down by the EU.  Heathrow Airport claims things are getting better.  But it simply cannot guarantee that, with a third runway and an extra quarter of a million planes a year, air pollution levels will come down so they meet the EU legal limits.  It is just wishful thinking.”   Neil Keveren is Chair of local group, SHE (Stop Heathrow Expansion), which represents the communities close to Heathrow whose homes are threatened by a third runway.

The EU legal limits, set out in the Air Pollution Directive, came into force in 2010.  Because countries across Europe have struggled to meet them, the EU has not fined member states for breaching the limits.  But it has indicated that it expects the member states to draw up plans outlining how they will meet them.  The UK Government had argued that it could take its time in drawing up the plans but ten days ago the Supreme Court ruled that it needed to have plans in place by the end of this year.

Since 2010 air pollution levels in areas around Heathrow have consistently breached the EU legal limits.  The pollution is caused by both the high traffic volumes on the surrounding motorways and the aircraft using the airport.  Heathrow is the only airport in the UK where air pollution is above the legal limit.

The Airports Commission, set up in 2012 to look at the case for new runways, issued a consultation last week into further work it has done on air pollution.  The consultation closes at the end of this month and its findings will be included in the Commission’s final report which is expected to be published in June.  The Commission will either recommend a third runway at Heathrow or a second runway at Gatwick but the Government is not bound by its findings.

http://hacan.org.uk/protesters-stage-silent-air-pollution-protest-in-terminal-5/

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See also

Airports Commission to carry out a new consultation on air quality impact of runway schemes

It is reported that the Airports Commission is now intending to carry out a new public consultation on the the impact of air quality of a new runway. It is thought that the Commission is keen to avert a potential legal challenge to their decision, if the runway would put air quality standards at risk. Only recently the UK Supreme Court ruled that as Britain is still not meeting EU air quality standards, it must quickly produce plans to limit pollution, especially NO2. The FT reports that the consultation would be a very quick, technically focused one, perhaps being completed by the end of May. It is not anticipated to involve any meetings with the general public. Sir Howard Davies is off to become Chairman of RBS, starting that job on 1st September. He joins the RBS board at the end of June. Therefore the runway decision was anticipated during June. If the consultation on air quality is to be thorough enough, and give those consulted adequate time to respond, getting an announcement by the end of June would be very difficult. Parts of the Heathrow area regularly breach air quality limits. Though Gatwick has less of an air quality problem, expanding it to the size Heathrow is now would risk breaching air quality limits – and the Commission should not recommend a development that would mean NO2 limits would be broken.

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