Anger over 'sham' Heathrow expansion consultation (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Anger over 'sham' Heathrow expansion consultation

3:00pm Friday 16th January 2009 in News By Chris Caulfield

Hacan chairman John Stewart

Anti-Heathrow expansion campaigners accused the Government of holding a “sham” consultation as it was revealed that only 11 per cent of almost 70,000 responses wanted any form of expansion.

The public overwhelmingly said no to Heathrow expansion during the Government consultation held last year.

Of the 69,377 responses to the consultation held, a little over 8,000 wanted any form of expansion. Noise and air pollution were the biggest concerns as nearly half the people responding expressed worries about these issues.

Hacan chairman John Stewart said: “These figures give the lie to the claim that business is clamouring for a third runway. Outside the aviation industry, only 241 businesses from right across the UK felt the need to express their view. How underwhelming is that.”

The Department for Transport has published a 208-page report on responses to the Heathrow Consultation.

• There were 69,377 responses (plus 1,991 that were late and therefore not analysed)
  
• There was no single YES or NO question
• 8,128 wanted any form of expansion
  
• 33,667 raised noise issues
  
• 37,017 raised pollution issues
  
• 12,937 raised increased CO2 issues
  
• 16,257 were concerned about community displacement
  
• 9,638 questioned the consultation process
  
• There were 306 responses from aviation and airline companies and 241 responses from businesses
  
• Totals responses generated by campaign groups are given as:
  London Borough of Hillingdon: 14,994
  Greenpeace: 6,698
  London Borough of Wandsworth: 4589
  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham: 4270
  No Third Action Runway Group: 4051
  Future Heathrow 3769
  British Airways 1494