Hammersmith & Fulham Council is urging the government to make the right decision and not expand Heathrow following the latest damming report on the proposals.
The findings say Heathrow should not be expanded unless there is a ‘step change’ in work to reduce the damage it will cause to the environment.
The report raised key concerns about expansion’s impact on carbon emissions, air quality and noise. This echoes fears raised by Hammersmith & Fulham’s own resident-led commission into an extended or additional runway which previously concluded: “The negative impacts on Hammersmith & Fulham of expansion at Heathrow would outweigh the positive impacts.”
H&F Council Leader Stephen Cowan, said: “Our resident-led, evidence-based review showed current plans to expand Heathrow are unacceptable and this is more compelling evidence that our fears are well-founded.
“Expanding Heathrow is the wrong choice for H&F residents and the country. The government must come up with a better option than this.”
Fighting Heathrow is part of the pressing need to improve air quality. H&F Council has launched an Air Quality Commission to tackle the problem head on, led by residents and chaired by Hammersmith local Rosemary Pettit.
Among the findings of its latest report into Heathrow, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), said:
On Carbon Emissions
“The government should publish an assessment of the likely impact on the aviation industry…and wider economy of measures to mitigate the likely level of additional emissions from Heathrow.”
On Air Quality
“The government will need to demonstrate that its revised air quality strategy can deliver compliance with legal pollution limits within timescales to be approved by the European Commission.”
On Noise
“The EAC argue that the government needs to demonstrate that it has based its decision on expansion on whether an expanded Heathrow would be noisier or less noisy than a two runway Heathrow at the same point in time – taking into account respite and the need for predictable relief from overflying.”
The report by the EAC, which is made up by MPs, puts more pressure on the government to reject Heathrow expansion.
The government is expected to decide later this year on the future of airport capacity in the country following the Airports Commission, also known as the Davies Commission, recommendation last summer that Heathrow be expanded.
Visit our Heathrow hot topic page for more information on Heathrow and H&F’s resident-led commission.
