News Feb – Mar 2009
under threat from the proposed Heathrow expansion. If needed, activists have pledged
to stand together with their adopted residents and fight attempts to remove them
from their homes. As the residents gathered in the local church hall, they were
each given a raffle ticket and were matched with an activist, whose matching raffle
ticket was drawn from a hat. (NoTRAG)
civil servants, with the task of getting approval for a 3rd runway. Greenpeace
managed to get hold of it, and it reveals a lot of interesting stuff. The Government
were / are very worried about losing the economic and environmental arguments
over Heathrow. They are also very bothered about direct action, both because it
could delay progress and it is enbarrassing. (Greenpeace)
document warned that airport group BAA cannot lodge a planning application for
the project before the next general election. BAA is not expected to seek planning
permission for a 3rd runway until 2012. The last possible date for an election
is June 2010 and BAA’s best hope for expanding Heathrow is to submit an application
before then. (Guardian)
decision to back a 3rd runway, though they told environmental groups there was
a blanket ban on meetings with any external bodies. The disclosure comes in documents
the civil service was directed to release to Greenpeace by the information commissioner
after stonewalling by civil servants. The threat of disruption was seen as one
of the highest risk threats to the runway. (Guardian)
form part of a government review of the economic impact of air travel regulation,
Jim Fitzpatrick, the aviation minister, promised northern MPs yesterday. The MPs,
led by north-east minister Nick Brown, stressed the threat to regional economies
from their air links being lost because of increasing landing charges squeezing
them out. The delegation cited the example of Durham Tees Valley airport, which
this weekend loses its 40-year-old link to Heathrow. (Financial Times) link
part in a rally, organised by “WeCAN”, opposite the Houses of Parliament. The
rally was addressed by a number of high-profile speakers including Colin Challen
MP and Zac Goldsmith. Amongst the children who took part were pupils from Heathrow
Primary School which would be demolished if a 3rd runway went ahead. The children
then went into Parliament to lobby their MPs.
disposal of Gatwick and Stansted becomes a fire sale. The small print in BAA’s
debt financing contracts stipulates that no asset can be sold for less than 85%
of its regulated value. With the price of assets collapsing and potential buyers
struggling to raise finance, there is concern that bids for BAA’s airports will
be much lower than they had hoped. (Times)
to demonstrate against Heathrow expansion and coal-fired power stations. The rally
has been organised by climate change campaign group WeCAN, made up mostly of mothers.
It will be attended by pupils from Sipson, whose primary school will be demolished
if plans for the third runway go ahead. WeCAN hope it will force the Government
to take tougher action on climate. (Standard)
the Euro Star terminal in St Pancras. The campaigners unveiled their red t-shirts,
emblazoned with the words ‘Stop Airport Expansion’, and held up signs saying "Rail
– Not Stupid" and burst into song – singing the praises of rail, with EuroStar
trains in the background. This ties in with the climate change film, The Age of
Stupid, which is going on general release.
have to close if a new airport was built in the Thames Estuary. A feasibility
study into a new airport to the south-east of London, an idea first proposed nearly
a decade ago, is due to be published later this month. (BBC)
Hoon admits figures error on Heathrow exaggerates benefit
benefit of new runways at Heathrow and Stansted. But Geoff Hoon said the mistake
did “not materially affect” evidence presented on the impact of expansion of the
airport. The Heathrow 3rd runway and 6th terminal net benefit comes down from
£5.4billion to £5.1billion. (Standard)
Pupils help out with British Airways project – Heathrow
Groundwork London, to plant 2500 trees in its parkland. Children from Heathrow
and Harmondsworth Primary schools helped to plant the trees.
Heathrow Airport expansion – (Guardian letter)
Heathrow should be scrapped not because the number of people flying dropped in
2008, but because demand for UK air travel exploded from 95.7 million passengers
in 1991 to 238.8 million in 2007.
died suddenly in the home he loved and where he was determined to stay, despite
the threat of eviction for a 3rd runway. (NoTRAG)
in his face as he entered a conference on greenhouse emissions. (Indy)
for approving the Heathrow airport expansion, official documents obtained under
FoI reveal. In the absence of any convincing data to explain how millions of extra
passengers would get to the airport. (New Statesman)
2M group criticise Labour over Heathrow decision
over changes to flightpaths from Heathrow. Richmond Council’s leader Serge Lourie,
speaking on behalf of the anti-Heathrow expansion group 2M, said ministers should
be more open with the public over the impact of airport expansion
Funds for possible Heathrow legal challenge agreed
challenge on the Government’s decision to expand Heathrow. (R& T Times)
Ministers ‘ignored’ Heathrow dissent – 86% were opposed
admitted, according to a Tory analysis of its consultation. This suggests up to
86% were strongly opposed to the runway. (Times)
Bill for Heathrow expansion vote passes first stage
airport should be expanded has passed its first stage through parliament with
a majority of 44. (Various)
Mandelson in new ‘favours’ row: Minister’s Heathrow PR pal had six meetings with
ministers before Heathrow go-ahead
ministers before Heathrow go-ahead
to expand Heathrow. (Mail)
Firm which gave Heathrow 3rd runway a clean bill of health has links to BAA
runway previously worked for BAA, the Standard has revealed..(Evening Standard)
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the
Infrastructure Planning Commission will start assessing planning applications;
and what the target time is for the Commission to process such applications. [255214]
Mr. Iain Wright: Our expectation is that the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will be
ready to begin receiving applications in spring 2010. In most circumstances, cases
will be decided within a year from application.
Heathrow case undermined – by House of Commons Library
economic and environmental case for expanding Heathrow airport. The briefing produced
last week by House of Commons library researchers, who are widely respected for
their objectivity and trusted by MPs, casts doubt on some of the government’s
key assumptions. (Sunday Times)
BA falls to loss and warns of further cuts
bruised by further economic weakness and the weak pound. In same the period in
2007, BA made a profit before tax of £816m. (FT and BBC)
Government is ‘running scared’ of Heathrow climate test
tested for any impact on climate change now and not after the runway is built.
(SEERA)
Johnson airport plans could threaten legal challenge to Heathrow runway
airport in the Thames estuary could weaken a legal challenge against expansion
of Heathrow he is helping to fund with £15,000. (Guardian)
Boris Island is a fantasy, says Labour
according to London Assembly Labour environmental spokesman Murad Qureshi. (NCE)
CEP: Heathrow third runway: Flying in the face of English democracy
at Heathrow was won for the Government by MPs elected outside England. (Politics.co.uk)
Heathrow bosses insist no geese cull planned
planes at increasing risk of bird strikes, like the one which brought down a jet
in Hudson Bay. (Hounslow Chronicle)