The Government seems determined to go ahead with expanding Heathrow Airport despite massive public opposition.
Hundreds of people living near the airport would lose their homes and many more would have their lives blighted by increased pollution and noise.
There is no business case to make for the expansion of Heathrow.The majority of passengers taking off from London airports are leisure travellers. A significant number of people landing at Heathrow are transferring to connecting flights rather than investing in London's economy.
Proper consideration has not been given to high speed rail links as a viable alternative to domestic flights.
Meanwhile,plans to introduce mixed mode at Heathrow Airport must not be allowed to slip underneath the radar.Proposals to substantially increase the number of flights at what is already one of the world's busiest airports by using the two existing runways for both take-offs and landings have been buried in the small print of a government consultation document.
The current arrangement where departing aircraft use one runway and arrivals the other gives people living under the flight paths much needed respite from the noise when the runways are swapped each day.
Ditching this runway alternation would mean a longer approach into Heathrow for thousands more flights and misery for millions more people across the capital who do not currently experience too much intrusion from aircraft.
As well as the impact on health and environmental concerns, extra aeroplanes flying lower over the city as they approach the airport poses an increased security risk to central London.
COUNCILLOR DANIEL MOYLAN
Chairman of Transport and Environment Committee
London Councils ..
