Anti-Heathrow expansion campaigners put case to Airports Commission

The six groups, including Richmond Heathrow Campaign (RHC), met commissioners Sir Howard Davies, Vivienne Cox and Geoff Muirhead, on Monday, June 24.

Representatives from Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, No Estuary Airport, Birmingham Action on Noise Group, Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion and Hacan also attended.

Brendon Sewill, spokesman for the six groups, said: “The commission was well aware that in the past 40 years many plans for new runways had failed because of public opposition, and therefore listened carefully to the case we made.

“We urged them to set out the case for no new runway and to publish it alongside the shortlist of new runway plans they are due to publish in December.”

The groups put to the commission that there was sufficient airport capacity within the existing airports to meet UK demand until 2050, and it was unrealistic to assume future demand would be disproportionately concentrated in the south-east.

Another argument put forward was that capacity requirements could be met by using larger planes and demand should be controlled by fairer taxation on aircrafts.

RHC chairman Peter Willan said: “I think it went well. We were all rather sensitive and apprehensive going before the meeting because there are differences between the groups and, of course, a success by one group might mean a disaster for the other one.

“We delivered a message to the commission that the residents are an important factor in this and we won’t stand by and let these runways be added.”

Last week Heathrow released a report which argued it was in the best place for passengers, jobs and businesses.

The report, which said a third runway would be Britain’s quickest option for increasing airport capacity, was part of the airport’s submission to the Davies Commission.

Heathrow and RHC will both submit proposals on the future of aviation capacity to the commission by July 19.