Heathrow expansion consultation
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Aviation |
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Never-ending noise |
The Government launched its consultation into expansion at Heathrow on 23rd Nov 2007. It will last until 27th Feb 2008. The Government expects to make a decision later in 2008.
Short briefing on the consultation
The proposals are for a 3rd runway and a 6th terminal. In the interim the government is proposing to introduce ‘Mixed Mode’ on the current two runways. This is a scheme whereby one runway may be used for bot landings and for takeoffs. It means that communities which presently get relief from noise for half the day would get noise all day.
If the plans go ahead, the number of planes could rise from 473,000 a year to over 700,000. The government has said that after Runway 3 is built, the interim Mised Mode mode would be removed. But teh government and BAA never make concessions. If Mixed MOde is not rescinded movements could go up to around 800,000.
The consultation is divisive and misleading. It asks many questions including specific impacts on households which will vary from one location to another. But no questions actually ask people if they support a third runway or the introduction mixed mode. The answers could therefore be used to divide communities and to suggest there is no widespread opposition to expansion.
The consultation is misleading and deficient in vital aspects – economics, noise, air pollution, public safety and climate change.
The justification for expansion of Heathrow is claimed benefits to the economy. The consultation asserts economic benefits but provides no evidence and does not invite any responses to its assertions.
The government recently published a major new noise study called ANASE - see AEF web site. This showed that noise levels of much less than 57 decibels (dB) cause severe annoyance. The government has ignored its own report and continues to use 57dB in assessing the impact of Heathrow expansion. The reason being that the use of figure of 50dB suggested by ANASE would show far more people are affected by aircraft noise.
Air pollution (nitrogen dioxide) threatened to stop Heathrow expansion because of the threat of legal action if government knowingly allowed pollution to breach EU health limits. New air pollution estimates were carried in secret by the government and BAA. They conveniently show that the air pollution would be just within limits! It is estimated that 1,000 Londoners die every year from air pollution.
Heathrow is by far the most dangerous airport in the country in terms of total or ‘societal’ risk. This is because of the large number of big planes overflying large populations. The consultation ignores the increased risk of people being killed on the ground in a crash.
A third runway would increase emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from Heathrow aircraft by some 9 million tonnes pa by 2030. This is as much as the entire country of Kenya. Such increases will make it impossible to achieve the 60% cuts by 2050 that the government recognises as necessary in its climate bill, let alone the 80% that most scientist now believe is needed. The consultation ignores the climate imperative.
Friends of the Earth advises people who are responding to the consultation not to answer the questions posed. This is because they are ‘leading’ and will be used to try and show that opposition is minor, fragmented and ‘nimby’. Instead, people should say that they oppose expansion and give their own reasons.
A briefing is available as a 2-page flier. More detailed 2-page fliers are available on noise and on climate change. There is also a solid 10-page economics briefing, which exposes huge flaws in the government's economic case for expanding Heathrow.
The final consultation public meetings are being held around West London. See
HACAN and Stop Heathrow Expansion web sites for latest information.
Links
FOE Word document flier (two side A4).
'Stop Heathrow Expansion' web site
HACAN web site
NoTRAG web site
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Updated Feb 08