The No 3rd Runway Coalition is very critical of the current consultation on Heathrow’s runway plans. People are advised, if they send in a response, to make sure their submission is not taken as tacit agreement with the 3rd runway.
The operation of Heathrow airport currently exposes hundreds of thousands of people to the intolerable, detrimental impacts of aircraft noise. Any expansion will simply expose thousands more to unacceptable levels of aircraft noise. The consultation presents some of its airspace policy choices as zero sum and is simply seeking to divide those opposed to expansion. The Coalition advises against engagement with this consultation.
The No 3rd Runway Coalition has put together a two page briefing, advising people about the many areas in which the consultation is inadequate, and suggesting a list of issues that remain unaddressed by Heathrow. See the full briefing here.
Advantages of the consultation?
Some people say that Heathrow this time have got something right. Rather than telling where the flight paths will be, they are asking communities to help them shape the new flight paths. They are asking, for example, whether people want flights concentrated over particular communities or shared around; whether flight paths should go over parks and open spaces or built up areas. The flight paths they eventually come up with will be guided by the community response.
The risk of this shared responsibility might lead to odds between groups of citizens because of nimby discussions…
