FEARS the decision by the Government to back expansion at Heathrow will reactivate the plan to develop a dual carriage way through Cherry Lane Cemetery have been revealed in a statement by the group fighting to protect its future.
Cherry Lane Against Development (CLAD) says it believes BAA will once again attempt to locate the new road through the cemetery, in Shepiston Lane, Harlington, to provide access to the airport for an estimated 25 million extra vehicles.
Edna La Mothe, spokeswoman for CLAD, whose husband is buried at Cherry Lane, said: "Today's decision came as no surprise. This Government has shown little regard for the living so we didn't expect any consideration for our dead. As for us mourners, as if our distress was not great enough, we will now have to dodge vehicles when we visit the graves."
In November 2008, BAA issued a press statement that the route through the Cemetery had been withdrawn, and they were no longer considering it as they had ten other options. Mike Forster, BAA's current Director of Planning and Strategy attended a Public Meeting held by CLAD on November 19 in Hayes, and he reiterated that.
However, he would not be drawn on any of the other alternatives which BAA had, especially with regards to the impact on the cemetery, nor would he confirm that BAA had a history of not keeping their word.
Given the layout of the area, CLAD feels it is impossible for expansion to go ahead without the cemetery being adversely affected.
Mrs La Mothe went on to say: "Right now, a gift voucher from Woolworths has more value than BAA's assurances. In our public meeting, the good people in the borough overwhelmingly refused to be deceived by BAA any more and regard Mr Forster's statement are just words in the wind, just like those given by the his former boss, Sir John Egan.
"It is well known that BAA does not have the authority to make such a promise and they can be overruled at any time by the Department for Transport and Highways Agency. War is being waged on our cemetery and today the Government has made it official."
