DR JENNY Tonge, MP for Hounslow's neighbouring constituency, Richmond Park, has criticised the Prime Minister's response to a question regarding concerns that noise pollution in the borough will rise if runway alternation at Heathrow is to cease.

The MP asked at Prime Ministers Question Time last week: "Will the Prime Minister confirm that a limit of 480,000 air traffic movements a year at Heathrow was accepted by his government after the terminal 5 inquiry and that the government white paper is now calling for runway alternation so that 560,000 air traffic movements a year can take place? That will make noise pollution unbearable and could cause catastrophe in the skies over Heathrow. It that happens, will the Prime Minister take responsibility or will he blame somebody else?"

The Prime Minister said that it was important that the views of Dr Tonge's constituents were represented and that he is sure they are opposed to any extension at Heathrow.

He added: "On the other hand, we have to try to take a strategic view in the interests of the country as a whole, in view of the fact that air travel has increased dramatically and will increase dramatically again over the next few years.

"In the end we will have to take a decision based on what we believe to be in the long-term interest of the country, and Heathrow as an airport is of massive strategic importance to the whole of the UK."

Dr Tonge commented on the reply: "Tony Blair's answer was far from satisfactory. He made no denial of the statement in the White Paper that ending alternation would result in 560,000 air traffic movements a year. He also stated that any decisions reached would be made in the interests of the country. As for the interests of people forced to live under the flight path, he simply said he understood my constituency preoccupation'. Finally, his lack of response to my question of whether he would take responsibility for a catastrophe in the skies created by increased air traffic, speaks for itself."

This comes at a time when the aviation white paper is set to be challenged in the High Court.

One flaw which will be highlighted in the challenge by HACAN ClearSkies is that they believe the paper did not make clear that the ending of runway alternation at Heathrow could be a short-term alternative to a third runway.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN ClearSkies, said: "People in West London are furious that they were not given the chance to comment on plans to end runway alternation at Heathrow.

"These plans emerged from nowhere in the white paper. Yet runway alternation is a life-saver for many in West London."

A renewed call on the aviation industry to work together to make further improvements to the noise climate around Heathrow was made at a noise seminar this week.

BAA Heathrow joined members of the airline industry and manufacturers in committing itself to continual improvement of aircraft noise.

Eryl Smith, BAA Heathrow's Business Strategy Director, said: "We understand that noise is the issue that impacts most on people living around the airport.

"BAA Heathrow accepts that there are many challenges ahead on the subject of noise, but we also understand that improvements can only be made when working alongside others.

"This event has shown that the industry is determined to deliver real and sustained improvements in noise for local people."