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Sent: 05 March 2008 11:57

Local residents and people across West Londons parks and green spaces were asked their views on the impact of the governments planned expansion of Heathrow on Saturday.

As thousands gathered at the Climate Camp in nearby Sipson, supporters of local groups including Friends of the Earth and the World Development Movement conducted a poll to gauge the level of concern among West Londoners and visitors to the area.

A thousand people were questioned, with results of the poll showed:

• over 95% supported government action to make rail travel a more affordable, easy, and pleasant alternative to air travel within the UK;
• 62% opposed the expansion of Heathrow, with only 24% in favour of the plans (14% were unsure);
• 64% would be willing to holiday more in the UK than abroad to protect their local area from airport expansion, and help combat climate change.

Polling was being conducted at locations across West London, including Richmond, Kew, Ealing Broadway, Houslow and Osterley Park: a historic National Trust house, green space and recreational resource for local people., already blighted by aircraft noise and pollution. SusanKramer, MP for Richmond Park was presented with the results at Kew Gardens following polling.

Steve Huxton, one of the volunteers who carried out the polling said "The results of this poll show that people are prepared to change their own travel habits in order to protect the environment, preserve green spaces and tackle climate change. Government policy needs to catch up with public opinion and abandon plans for expanding aviation, instead focusing on providing viable alternatives for peoples travel needs."

Maggie Thorburn, an Isleworth (West London) resident for many years said: "Residents have been fighting for years to be heard. Now that the Climate Camp is in the news it's time to say it again. Heathrow can't go on expanding - enough is enough! BAA is all about shareholder profit and the government listens to it far too much. It's crazy for the government to allow airports to expand now when it's trying tofight climate change. And BAA's effortsto interfere with our civil liberties show how far it will go to get what it wants."

"A lot of ordinary people are making changes in their lives to combat climate change and agree with the peaceful aims of the Climate Camp. We have different ways of getting the message across but agree that destroying villages to cram more planes into Heathrow would be vandalism on a massive scale!"

Sabrina Fiorini, a West London resident, at the National Trusts Osterley Park said: "I am firmly opposed to the expansion of Heathrow, which could affect the whole of London. Its important that the quality of our lives is not further eroded by increased noise and air pollution. In a vibrant city like London, people need peace and quiet. The expansion of Heathrow could potentially subject millions more people to unacceptable levels of noise".

"I love Osterley Park. Its a tranquil place where everyone should be able to come to enjoy some peace and quiet. Already there are times when aircraft noise is awful. The time has come to put a stop to any further disruption to peoples lives."

The proposed expansion is a direct threat to local residents at least 700 homes will be demolished. If a third runway goes ahead, thousands of people would also be subjected to increased air pollution, and millions more could suffer increased noise pollution. But even without a third runway, BAA could use other means to increase the capacity of Heathrow by on average 219 flights per day, which would have a similar impact.

Mar 2008

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