Hundreds flock to Heathrow meeting

4:41pm Thursday 17th January 2008

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About 550 more people than expected turned up for an anti-Heathrow expansion meeting at a church hall in Chiswick this week.

Residents were asked to wait outside St Michaels and All Angels while the event's organisers moved the meeting inside the church itself, which seats about 600.

Jointly held by pressure groups Hacan ClearSkies, Plane Stupid and 2M Group, together with leaders from Hounslow and Ealing Councils and the Greater London Authority, the meeting provided a forum to discuss the Government's consultation on its plans for a third runway and sixth terminal, all-day flights at Heathrow and scrapping the Cranford Agreement.

Resident Mike Russell, who handed out 5,000 flyers ahead of the meeting, said they had only expected about 50 people.

Opening the meeting, Mr Russell then highlighted the Government's failure to warn residents that the third runway would require an approach path directly over Bedford Park and Acton Green.

Hacan ClearSkies chairman John Stewart said if the Government gets its way flights to Heathrow would jump from 473,000 last year to about 800,000.

He said: "A third runway needs a third flight path."

Mr Stewart said that a new flight path would have a major effect on Heston, which he added is "relatively plane-free" at present.

"The noise impact would be horrendous and pollution would get worse," he said.

"Aviation is the fastest growing contributor to climate change worldwide."

Hounslow Council's cabinet member for aviation Barbara Reid said: "There is a constant battle for a decent quality of life in our borough with people being woken up in the middle of the night and teachers in our schools having to stop their lessons every 90 seconds.

"Any government that ignores our voice is either very foolish or very arrogant. This is a battle and there is no point going into it if you are not absolutely certain you are going to win."

As things stand, the consultation closes on February 27. However today councils affected by expansion called on the Government to extend the consultation deadline after leaders of the coalition group 2M asked Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick to send out copies the consultation to residents who never received the document. Coun Reid said it was only fair that the deadline for responses be extended by at least two months.

Hounslow Council's public meeting on the consultation takes place at the Civic Centre, Lampton Road, on Tuesday at 7.30pm