A CAMPAIGN group backing a third runway at Heathrow has been launched in competition with anti-expansion lobby group HACAN.
The Back Heathrow campaign is being funded by the airport's owners to give a voice to what it describes as the 'silent majority' who back expansion.
It was created after a poll commissioned by Heathrow this summer showed 46 per cent of those questioned were in favour of a third runway, compared with 43 per cent against.
That survey of 6,000 people was carried out at the same time as votes organised by Hounslow, Hillingdon and Richmond councils, in which 72 per cent of the combined 150,000 respondents opposed to a bigger Heathrow.
However, 64 per cent of those responding to Hounslow Council's consultation said they would not support proposals for a new London airport resulting in the closure of Heathrow.
Back Heathrow's campaign director Rob Gray said many more people supported expansion when they realised London Mayor Boris Johnson's rival plans for a new Thames Estuary airport would mean Heathrow shutting.
"When it comes to Heathrow expansion, we feel the voices of the no's are disproportionately loud. This is the chance to give the silent majority their voice," he added.
Rob Gray, who previously worked for Aviation Foundation, which promoted the industry within the UK, would not say how much funding the campaign had received but admitted it was 'not pocket money'.
The group has its own website, www.backheathrow.org and is delivering more than 400,000 campaign sheets highlighting the threat to jobs should Heathrow close.
Mr Gray said it had no plans to make submissions to the Airports Commission, which is examining the need for extra aviation capacity in the UK, but would help residents do so should they wish.
HACAN chairman John Stewart described Back Heathrow's formation as a compliment to his own group's success.
"This is the sign of an organisation which is desperately worried it won't get approval for a third runway," he added.
The group's launch came as the London Assembly's environment committee highlighted the need for an independent regulator to monitor aircraft noise.
The committee said 725,500 people living around Heathrow were affected by aircraft noise, with the impact of night flights and the effect on children's education its greatest concerns.
