The quality of life of local residents must be put before the expansion of Heathrow claims Mary Macleod, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brentford and Isleworth.

She has written to the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to strongly oppose the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport.

She said: "Heathrow is past saturation point and I am totally opposed to night flights, mixed mode (end of runway alternation) and a third runway. The current cap on flight movement must be maintained.

"Future expansion at Heathrow has huge implications on the quality of life for the local community, including issues with aircraft noise, traffic congestion and environmental pollution: She said the level of noise experienced by Hounslow residents on a daily basis was excessive, while at night the situation was worse, with noise levels exceeding those recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Noise levels also affect teaching in local schools, and children's educational development is being affected by exposure to aircraft noise. Existing measures on noise insulation are not sufficient.

She said: "Traffic congestion around the airport is already a major problem and an increase in capacity would result in an increase in demand that the local traffic infrastructure would be unable to cope with.

"A third runway at Heathrow will substantially increase carbon emissions in the long term. Surely this is directly contrary to the Government's rhetoric on climate change.

"I believe that the quality of life of local residents must be put first."