Friends speak out about Heathrow

‘It undermines the possibility of reaching net zero.’

Friends near Heathrow have spoken out about potential plans to build a third runway at the airport.

Rachel Reeves, chancellor of the exchequer, chose to back the project earlier this month and seek the expansion of Heathrow to raise its annual passenger capacity by fifty per cent to about 140 million.

Many critics have condemned the plans, pointing out that, in 2023, UK aviation emitted roughly eight per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions for that year – equivalent to 32.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Dan Wilson, from Wandsworth Meeting, told the Friend that he was against the plan. ‘It undermines the possibility of reaching net zero, and adds pollution, even though the government claims the opposite. They’re relying partly on untested future technologies. I live in Twickenham so we’re pretty close and under the take-off paths. Brentford Meeting House is right under the flight path. People here are pretty set against it – although personally I’m even more concerned about Rosebank Oilfield, if that opens up.’

Linda Murgatroyd, from Wandsworth Meeting, described the proposal as ‘so dispiriting’. She said: ‘Expanding flying is so much what we should not be doing if we want the slightest chance of slowing climate breakdown and adapting to it! I had better hopes of a Labour government, which is clearly very divided. I’m so glad that the mayor of London is so clearly opposed to this development, for good reason.’

Like many local residents, Linda Murgatroyd said that her family ‘will indeed be more affected by noise’. According to John McDonnell, independent MP for Hayes and Harlington, where Heathrow is based, 4,000 properties would be demolished or rendered unlivable in the constituency because of noise or air pollution, if the plans go ahead. About 10,000 men, women and children would be forced out of their homes. A river would also have to be diverted, and the M25 re-routed under a huge new tunnel.

A big local campaign against the proposals had ‘a dampening effect on the enthusiasm of our previous Wimbledon MP (Stephen Hammond, Conservative)’, said Linda Murgatroyd, ‘though mostly for nimby reasons. The one good thing about it was that it brought together many sectors of the community in opposition… But we shouldn’t be having to fight such ill-conceived plans – rather, we should all be focusing our attention on developing infrastructures that would help us to adapt to, and slow down, climate change instead.’

Rachel Reeves said a third runway at Heathrow would ‘unlock further growth, boost investment, increase exports and make the UK more open and more connected’. 

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Comments

The expansion of Heathrow , Luton ,and other airports is a terrible eco -decision , and shows the government in a very bad long term light

By Neil M on 20th February 2025 - 15:22

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