Heathrow Expansion Plans Bad For The Environment And Local People - Kramer

1.55.42pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 22nd Nov 2007

Commenting on government plans announced today to further expand Heathrow airport, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Susan Kramer MP said: "Given the need to greatly reduce carbon emissions, the last thing that ministers should be doing is doubling the capacity of a major airport.

"These plans will be even worse for the environment and local people than we originally thought. The new runway is longer than originally planned, and will allow for many more large continental flights.

"The Government's own recent ANASE study highlighted that the louder the airport noise gets, the more it disrupts peoples lives. The current noise limits don't bear any relation to the impact on those living nearby. Trying to stick to these arbitrary limits really misses the point.

"Noise levels around Heathrow have dropped by a third following the demise of Concorde. BAA could get away with having 40 more flights an hour, and still be inside its noise limits."

Notes

1. Susan Kramer has tabled the following Early Day Motion on Heathrow expansion:

That this House notes with concern that the Government has put forward proposals which could increase the number of annual flights at Heathrow from 473,000 in 2006 to 800,000; is alarmed that this will undermine attempts to tackle climate change; believes that the economic case for expansion at Heathrow has not been made; is concerned that ending runway alternation at Heathrow would end the half day of respite from aviation noise currently enjoyed by West London residents; believes that current measures to regulate noise levels around the airport are inadequate; notes that the ANASE study commissioned by the Department for Transport found that the `onset of community annoyance' occurs well below the existing threshold of an average 57 decibels; welcomes the formation by 12 local authorities of the 2M Group, representing the interests of the two million people, whose quality of life is affected by Heathrow; regrets BAA's heavy-handed attempts to prevent protests over the summer; notes that the history of assurances given to residents by both Government and BAA does not inspire confidence that the views of local people will be taken seriously; and therefore opposes any plans to reduce or end runway alternation or to build a third runway and 6th terminal at Heathrow.