Molesey hope to form an alliance with the Teddington Action Group, opposing a 3rd Heathrow runway due to unbearable noise impacts
Molesey, south west of Teddington, has been badly affected by aircraft taking off from Heathrow, when there are easterly winds (around 30% of the time). Now a Molesey woman, Fiona Fraser, who is tired of the aircraft noise, which even makes her windows and doors “shake and rattle” has stepped up her campaign against plans for a Heathrow 3rd runway – which could only make the situation worse. She is now linking the Molesey group up with the Teddington Action Group (TAG), which has been working effectively to get improvements to the noise problems they are caused by Heathrow. Fiona said that the aircraft noise – part of which comes from A380s flying lower than planes used to – is making life unbearable, especially early in the morning and last thing at night, up to 11.30pm. She commented: “… if it carries on I’ll have to move. I just feel very helpless.” Paul McGuinness, from TAG, has welcomed Elmbridge residents wanting to join the campaign against Heathrow’s expansion. Community groups have been forming over a wide area affected by Heathrow [likewise at Gatwick]. Anyone opposed to the third runway proposals at Heathrow can help create a new Elmbridge action group by emailing fionafraser2013@gmail.com.
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Molesey woman steps up campaign against Heathrow third runway with plans for Action Group
30.10.2015 (Surrey Comet)
A Molesey woman who says planes cause windows and doors in her home to “shake and rattle” has stepped up her campaign against plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
Fiona Fraser, from West Molesey, joined other protesters at the Say No to Heathrow demonstration in central London several weeks ago, and now wants to form a Molesey alliance with the Teddington Action Group, an organisation firmly against expansion.
Miss Fraser said: “The past five weeks have been really bad. The noise makes the house shake, the windows shake. It has become completely unbearable, particularly in the morning and last thing at night.
“It was all day yesterday, it was so bad that my front door shook with both of the planes going over. It actually rattled.
“I love living in Molesey, but if it carries on I’ll have to move. I just feel very helpless.”
Elmbridge Council has created an airport expansion task group to explore the impact of the expansion on the borough, a spokesman said.
Paul McGuinness, of the Teddington Action Group has welcomed Elmbridge residents wanting to join the campaign against expansion.
Protesters at the Say No to Heathrow demonstration in London several weeks ago
He said: “There are community groups cropping up all over the place that are horrified at the prospect of a third runway and we’d be very happy for that [a Molesey-based affiliated action group] to happen.
“To some extent we are the children of the 2014 flight trials and many people of course realise that the matter of the trends in which the planes are flying is quite awakening.”
East Molesey Councillor Steve Bax has also campaigned against Heathrow expansion.
He said: “It’s quite frustrating as a councillor and for residents. We definitely know it’s noisy on the ground and people are being disturbed at unreasonable hours of the day.”
East Molesey Councillor Peter Szanto said he did not think residents needed to form an alliance with other action groups in neighbouring boroughs.
He said: “We have a route today into senior management at Heathrow and really what people should be doing is channelling their comments through to Steve Bax rather than spreading the focus across several groups.”
Heathrow bosses claim that 80,000 people in London are on board with the expansion, which they say will create up to 38,400 jobs and £35.1bn worth of economic benefits by 2050.
The Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, recommended Heathrow for expansion this summer.
The Government is expected to make its decision by the end of the year.
Anyone opposed to the third runway proposals at Heathrow can help create a new Elmbridge action group by emailing fionafraser2013@gmail.com.
Are you affected by the flight paths from Heathrow? Would you like to join an action group against the third runway? Get in touch at rachel.dickerson@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 020 8722 6313
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Earlier:
Teddington Action Group show – from Heathrow report – that they are now suffering more aircraft noise
Residents in Twickenham and Teddington have been aware of greatly increased aircraft noise from Heathrow, over the past year. However, Heathrow have for months insisted that the noise has not increased. Now an independent report commissioned and paid for by Heathrow, by PA Consulting has shown that the residents are right. Examining data between November 2011 and May 2015, the report confirms that planes – especially the heavier, noisier types – are flying lower than previously over the area, in greater numbers and concentrated within flight paths. Also that the periods of greatest disruption are increasingly late at night and early in the morning. Rather than being associated with the 2014 Flight Path Trials, which saw record numbers of noise complaints from residents, the report states that these developments merely reflect the general trend of fleet development and air traffic movements. TAG say they have more of the noisiest long haul planes flying over lower than before, sometimes at little more than 2,000 feet in Teddington and 1,400 feet in Twickenham. Worryingly, if this disruption stems from new flight trends, it is only likely to get worse, and for many other areas overflown by Heathrow planes.
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Teddington Action Group prepare to sue Airports Commission over lack of fair consultation on air quality
The Airports Commission and the Department of Transport have been notified by Neil Spurrier and Teddington Action Group (TAG) of their intent to apply for a Judicial Review of the Commission’s work. TAG is a group of residents affected by environmental nuisance in terms of emissions and noise from Heathrow flights. They have taken advice from leading counsel, and allege that the Airports Commission’s 3 week consultation on air quality, in May, was rushed and insufficiently publicised. This meant they (and many others) did not had a fair chance to respond. The consultation document was a highly technical 200 page report, containing a large amount of technical data. TAG say the lack of proper engagement by the Commission in relation to the latest air quality consultation is unacceptable and local people should be consulted in a meaningful way on an issue that directly impacts their health and well-being. TAG say the 3 week consultation is far shorter than the Cabinet Office guidelines which recommend three months for controversial or technical consultations. The length and nature of the air quality consultation was widely criticised, as being inadequate and unfair. TAG also questions the continuation of Sir Howard Davies in the role of chair of the Commission in the light of potential conflicts of interest, as he has been appointed to RBS.
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Teddington residents miserable under Heathrow easterly take-offs – though officially they are not affected
Teddington is an area largely affected by easterly take-offs from Heathrow. The wind direction in the south east of England is generally for westerly winds for around 70 – 77% of the time. The level of aircraft noise over Teddington is therefore not a problem during westerly take-offs. The way aircraft noise is measured – by taking an average over a period of time, and over many months, rather than the plane noise on a particular day – means that Teddington and areas like it, are not deemed to be within the noise contours that imply a significant level of noise nuisance. However, during periods of easterly winds, which can last for over 10 days, the level of noise is deeply intrusive. The campaign, Teddington Action Group, has made a powerful short film that illustrates the noise they are subjected to, for perhaps 25 -30% of the year. Yet, on the noise averaging system used by the CAA and the Airports Commission, they are considered not to be affected by noise. They wonder how many other areas can be regarded as untroubled by noise, when the reality on the ground is very different. And how much worse would this situation get, with how many more affected, if there was a Heathrow 3rd runway. Watch the film.
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