ISSUE: Third Runway at Heathrow                    

Ministers accused of ignoring environmental concerns on Heathrow expansion

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A third runway at Heathrow will bring extra noise for thousands of residents in Putney council leader Edward Lister has warned.

Cllr Lister said local people would not believe any promises made by ministers on environmental concerns. He accused them of making worthless promises on the cap on flights due to Terminal 5 and added:

"It's the same disregard for Londoners' quality of life that is evident in the Government's attempt to overturn last year's historic night flights ruling in the European Court of Human Rights. Yet even as the night flights battle goes on ministers are preparing the way for yet more expansion at Heathrow. Just when local people thought they might finally stand a chance of getting a decent night's sleep they are confronted with a new threat as a third runway can only lead to an increase in night flights. "

He reaffirmed the Council's call for a rigorous cost benefit analysis of the proposed airports expansion which would take into account the environmental cost of airport expansion but said that it appeared as if the Government was too keen to do the aviation industries bidding.

Wandsworth Council has consistently opposed both the new Terminal Five and the continuation of night flights at Heathrow.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled last October that by putting economic arguments ahead of environmental and quality of life concerns the UK Government had violated the European Convention on Human Rights.

The court also found that the Government had not properly investigated the effects of night flights on sleep prevention, nor whether they were essential in the economic interests of the country. The UK Government's appeal will be heard on October 9th.

July 26, 2002

Wandsworth Council's Aviation Pages

Government Proposals to Favour New Runway at Heathrow

No cutting corners on Third Runway Plans

Richmond responds to cash call

Wandsworth makes cash call to save night flights ruling May 2002

Residents face fresh night flights challenge April 2002