MP Zac Goldsmith, has “good news” for Harmondsworth residents, claiming the third runway is “effectively off the table”.

The Conservative London Mayoral candidate spoke out against Heathrow Airport expansion after paying a visit to the historic village on Sunday (March 6) alongside GLA Hillingdon and Ealing candidate, Cllr Dominic Gilham .

Mr Goldsmith said: “I’ve campaigned for years to get Heathrow expansion off the agenda and am pleased to have helped persuade the Government to subject the third runway to an air pollution test.

“As anyone involved in the campaign knows, Heathrow cannot pass that test, and the third runway is therefore, effectively off the table.

“This is good news for the people of Harmondsworth who I met this weekend, and who have been on the front line against expansion for years.”

Zac Goldsmith meets Harmondsworth residents who will be affected by the third runway

Mr Goldsmith had a tour of the village and met residents who welcomed him into their homes and explained how Heathrow expansion would affect them.

He added: “If I am elected Mayor in May I will continue to oppose expansion, as I always have.

“The alternative is Sadiq Khan who was championing Heathrow expansion right up until he decided to run for Mayor.”

Villagers told Mr Goldsmith of the need to address public health with an expanded Heathrow and the need to end the repeated threat to the village, which has been rumbling on for many, many years.

The candidates took particular note of the historic nature of the village, including in the popular Five Bells pub, which would be ripped apart if Heathrow’s plans are approved.

Concerns for schoolchildren over 'toxic levels of pollution'

Jackie Clark, Chair of Stop Heathrow Expansion, said: “It was good to see that Zac took the time to meet residents and listen to their concerns about the devastation a third runway would cause for our village.

“I’m looking forward to meeting other mayoral candidates over the coming weeks too.”

Emma Steele, a school teacher and Harmondsworth resident, showed Mr Goldsmith where the new runway would be – from her kitchen window.

Emma Steele shows Mr Goldsmith where the new runway would be, from her kitchen window

She said: “It was good to meet Zac personally and to be able to show him how close the proposed boundary fence would be if a third runway was to be built.”

“As a school teacher, it concerns me the toxic levels of pollution that local children would be exposed to if this project goes ahead.”

Stop Heathrow Expansion will be welcoming other mayoral candidates to the villages in the run-up to the Mayoral election on 5 May.

Dominic Gilham, GLA candidate and West Drayton ward councillor, said: "We're fighting Heathrow all the way on this proposal, a proposal which would involve the destruction of ancient villages.

“I stand with the local residents on this issue."

Zac Goldsmith should 'prove his outrageous claim'

But a pro-expansion campaign group say Mr Goldsmith's claims are “disgraceful” and defends the airport's record of reducing emissions.

Rob Gray, Back Heathrow Campaign Director, said: "It is disgraceful for Zac Goldsmith to say that an expanded Heathrow cannot pass environmental tests and we look forward to him proving this outrageous claim.

"Mr Goldsmith has already wrongly linked the VW emissions scandal to Heathrow expansion and seems willing to say anything to denigrate the UK's largest single site employer.

“Heathrow has already reduced its emissions significantly and independent experts have already stated that Heathrow can expand within legal environmental limits.

“If Mr Goldsmith is serious about representing the whole of London then he should stop using Heathrow as a red herring and get on with attacking the main causes of pollution in the capital.”