News Stories Archive - Pre 2004

This page is an archive of the stories that have been on our news page. As it is an archive, it is not maintained, so stories may have been superseded. Also, links from the stories may not now be relevant.

Titles

• Hottest day ever recorded
• Heathrow Runway 3 coming?
• Aviation tax dodges now £9 billion pa
• M25 widening condemned
• 3rd runway at Heathrow
• Michael Meacher goes
• Euro court rules on Heathrow night flights
• Biodiversity strategy
• Residents say no to third runway
• Labour's cronies win awards
• Local plans

Hottest Day Ever Recorded

Hottest ever

The highest ever temperature in Britain was recorded on 10 August 2003. At Gravesend it reached 100.6 deg F or 38.1 deg C. In West London, 100 deg F was also broken - at Heathrow it was 100.2 deg F or 37.9 deg C. While some people will continue to deny the significance of these high temperatures, most of us think that this is a symptom of global warming. Even the government has admitted this is likely to be so. See our Press Release (Word doc).
 
(Aug 03)

Heathrow Runway 3 Coming ?

Plane nightmare

Will we forced to suffer the devastation caused by Heathrow Runway 3? The government's airports 'White Paper' says that Stansted will get the first new runway, but Heathrow will probably be next.

See White Paper story and our Heathrow page. Or contact us for the latest analysis.
 
(Dec 03)

Aviation tax dodges now £ 9 billion pa

Tax dodge in the sky

A new report by the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) shows that air transport avoids paying tax to the tune of an incredible £9.2 billion every year. If this tax were paid, a third Runway at Heathrow would not be needed. And if this money were distributed to needy boroughs around the country, the share for West London would be £320 millon pa.

It is these tax dodges that are leading to calls for a third runway at Heathrow.
 
(2003)

M25 widening condemned

M25 disaster

The government has announced that the M25, along with many other roads across the UK are to be widened. Nic Ferriday, spokesperson for West London Friends of the Earth said, "This will be a disaster for West London. It will simply generate more traffic, so the extra lanes will fill up in a few years. The government seems to have given up in its attempts to address our traffic problems and to develop an integrated and sustainable transport policy."

Ealing council seems to be following the lead of national government. It has proposed a new 3-mile road to bypass the centre of Southall. Nic Ferriday commnented "While some councils are trying to move foreward to more sustainable transport policies, Ealing seems to going back to the bad old days of destructive and pointless road-building." Contact us for more information.
(Nov 03)

3rd Runway at Heathrow?

More aircraft coming your way?

The government airports consultation finished on 30th June. A third runway at Heathrow is one of the options. See the Airport Consultation page, the Runway 3 threat and the unfolding History of Runway 3.

Now that formal consultation period has finished, the vital stages of campaigning and political lobbying are even more important. After all, the government listens more to lobbying than it does to formal responses. Contact us for more information.
(July 03)

Michael Meacher goes

Michael Meacher has been sacked by Tony Blair. He was the only minister in who dispayed any real concern for the environment. Presumably he had to go before the government announced its road-building U-turn and its offensive on GM crops.
(Aut 03)

The European Court of Human Rights has overturned its earlier decision. It supported the appeal of the UK government, which sought to over-turn the ruling that because of the effects on people's sleep, night flights at Heathrow were an infringment of human rights. Sadly, the court supported the government's position that vague claims about the economy should be allowed to over-ride the right to a good night's sleep. See national FOE Press Release for more information.
(Aut 03)

Biodiversity Strategy

A field near Heathrow

The Mayor's Biodiversity Strategy - "Connecting with London's Nature" - has just been launched. This sets the overall context for more detailed policies and plans, such as Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). See GLA's website for the Mayor's Biodiversity Strategy
(2003)

Residents say no third runway!

The proposed third runway at Heathrow would devastate local communities and the environment. On 7 June many hundreds of people marched along the proposed route of the runway from Harlington through Sipson to Harmondsworth. Local MPs and residents made stirring speeches and gave the government a clear and strong message - No Third Runway.
(June 03)

Labour's Cronies Awards

The Labour Party Conference in Blackpool in Sep 02 was, as usual permeated by big business, with exhibitions, lobbying and donations rife. To highlight the issue, Friends of the Earth instituted its own awards. The results were :
1   BAA : For its work in writing the government's air transport policy
2   Aventis : For its efforts to push genetically modified crops into the food chain
3   British Nuclear Fuels : For polluting Britain and the Irish sea with long lived nuclear wastes
For information about the 10 nominations see national FOE web site.
(Sep 02)

Local Plans

Local Plans, called Unitary Development Plans or UDPs in London boroughs, are of vital importance. They determine to a considerable extent how environmentally friendly and sustainable a borough is. But the government has decided to abolish UDPs and there are fears that this will make it easier for developers to build what they like where they like. We will keep you posted.
(Mid 2002)

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