Heathrow jet crash "most probably" caused by ice in fuel

The crash of the British Airways Boeing 777 at Heathrow on 17th January 2008 was "most probably" caused by ice in the fuel, according to an interim report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Published on 5th September, the interim report has been released because the AAIB is "sensitive to the needs of the industry" and believes it should give an update on what has been learnt so far, while continuing to work on discovering more about the cause of the crash and whether a similar crash can be prevented in future.

The report makes it clear that tests to discover the root cause of the crash have all have been carried out on one particular type of aircraft, the Boeing 777/Trent 800 engine combination, and "it is unknown whether other aircraft/engine combinations that have already been certificated might also be vulnerable to this previously unforeseen threat."

Consequently, the AAIB recommends the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency takes immediate action to consider the implications of the findings in the report. Safety measures have been proposed to reduce possible risks, with a re-design of the aircraft an option at some time in the future.

Meanwhile, the aircraft involved in the crash, which is beyond economic repair, still sits at Heathrow and serves as a reminder that staff, passengers and local residents had a lucky escape.

BBC News coverage

Complete Interim report

Competition Commission says BAA monopoly not good for passengers or airlines

BAA's ownership of seven UK airports has an adverse affect on the supply of services to passengers and airlines, according to the provisional findings of the Competition Commission (CC) investigation, announced on 20th August.

The CC took a detailed look at the BAA airports (Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick and Southampton in England and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland) and came up with remedies to reduce the problems caused by the monopoly.

BAA won't like the proposed remedies, which include selling off two of the London airports and one Scottish airport.

While the CC consults on this, it will also make its final decisions on the competition issues. The consultation closes on 17th September, with the final report to be published by April 2009.

Competition Commission Consultation

Reports dispute Government claims to be cutting emissions

The UK is appearing to cut greenhouse gases by not including aviation and shipping in its figures and by getting countries like China to do it dirty work, says BBC News reporter Roger Harrabin.

On 31st July, Harrabin highlighted two reports from the respected Stockholm Environment Insitute (SEI) based at the University of York.

They show that, if you include emissions from aviation, shipping and imported goods, UK greenhouse gas emissions since the 1990s have been growing in line with the economy rather than decreasing.

At the moment, emissions from aviation, shipping and imported goods are excluded under the internationally agreed system for carbon accounts.

An SEI report to be published soon by the campaign group WWF will suggest that the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions are 49% higher than reported emissions. While a recent little-noticed report for the government department Defra showed that rather than going down 5% as ministers claimed, CO2 emissions have gone up 18% between 1992 and 2004 when all emissions are counted.

The government sat on the Defra SEI report since February, tested its calculations, then published it in an obscure press release on 2 July.

Environment Minister Phil Woolas said "I think it's very misleading to say that these figures challenge our figures; they are a different calculation altogether. You have to look at emissions globally."

The Defra-SEI report shows that as manufacturing in the UK has closed down, some of the production has shifted to countries where manufacturing is more carbon intensive than it would be here - so more CO2 is emitted per unit of production.

The increase in imported products also leads to increased emissions from cargo shipping. Cheap flights have pushed up emissions still higher.

WWF says the new figures are "breathtaking" and make a mockery of the UK's claims of global leadership. Stuart Bond, WWF's head of research, said: "This shows our claims on emissions are simply a big lie. The government has known about this for a very long time but has just refused to face up to it."

"There is no way the government can hope to achieve any of its emissions targets without cheating unless it changes its policies on encouraging flying and hoping to satisfy people's insatiable demands for buying more and more stuff."

John Barrett, author of the SEI reports to both Defra and WWF, said they could have implications for any post-Kyoto global climate deal.

"Holding China and India responsible for emissions from manufactured goods they sell to us is going to prove very hard to negotiate. It would be much easier to base any future deal on emissions at the point of consumption. That feeds into the equity debate in which poor countries will be allowed to increase their CO2."

"It's at the very least misleading for the UK government to claim reductions while we export our emissions. This is a problem no government wants to face.

Full BBC News report

CLIMATE CAMP CONFERENCE -
TO TURN IDEAS INTO ACTIONS

The day before the Climate Camp caravan set off from Sipson, Direct Action protesters joined villagers and MPs at a conference to plot the next move to stop expansion at Heathrow.

With government officials adopting increasingly belligerent language to indicate that Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly will give the green light to a third runway in the autumn, around 150 people got together to put forward ideas for future direct action strategy.

This is the first time that local campaign groups and international environmental organisation had teamed up with the Camp for Climate Action to stage an event.

Local campaign groups HACAN and NoTRAG (No Third Runway Action Group) worked with Greenpeace on the extremely successful Make a NOise event in May. This event pooled ideas with the Camp for Climate Action to step up the opposition to the government's plans to increase flights and devastate a vast area west of London.

John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, opened and closed the event. Other speakers included Baroness Jenny Tonge and Susan Kramer MP, John Stewart (HACAN), Christine Taylor (NoTRAG) and Leo Murray (Plane Stupid).

Before the conference, John Sauven, the Chief Executive of Greenpeace, said: “Aviation is the UK’s fastest-growing contributor to climate change. The plans to expand Heathrow must be stopped. At a time of runaway climate change and rocketing oil prices they make no sense at all. We, and the broad coalition of opponents, are determined to work together to make sure this climate-wrecking policy does not go through.”

Economic argument for third runway is hammered yet again

The Government’s economic case for expanding Heathrow airport is flawed and should be independently reviewed, according to a report launched on 23rd July.

Independent international research body The Stockholm Environment Institute was commissioned by Friends of the Earth to examine the UK Government’s economic justification for allowing Heathrow airport to expand.

The Government’s case for expanding Heathrow rests on an evaluation of the economic benefits of providing more flights at cheaper prices to an increasing number of people and weighing this up against an evaluation of the "dis-benefits" from expansion, such as an increase in carbon dioxide emissions.

When the Government weighed up the arguments, it came down in favour of Heathrow expansion but the report found three major flaws in its assesment of the benefits:

1. The passenger demand projections are uncertain - for example they rely on fares falling because the cost of oil per barrel is predicted to fall from an assumed $65 in 2006 to $53 in 2030. Oil is currently around $130 a barrel and experts predict it will not fall below this before the end of 2016.

2. Benefits to foreign passengers changing planes in the UK are counted as a benefit to the UK economy - but this is against HM Treasury guidance on project appraisal. In 2005 nearly 30% of Heathrow passengers were travellers simply changing planes.

3. It assumes ‘doing nothing’ is the only alternative to airport expansion – but there are plenty of alternatives with less environmental impact like switching short haul passengers to rail travel, investing in video conferencing or limiting transfer passengers.

Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner, Richard Dyer, said: “The Government’s economic case for Heathrow is fundamentally flawed, based on assumptions which are often highly speculative and biased."

“If it wasn’t for this economic sleight of hand, the case for airport expansion would collapse."

Guardian report

The full economic report

Campaigner super-glues himself to Gordon Brown
in protest against third runway

Gordon Brown got more than a warm handshake when he went to congratulate the recipient of an award - he found that the young man had superglued himself to the sleeve of his jacket!

On 22nd July, Dan Glass, a 24-year-old MSc student based in Scotland, went to 10 Downing Street to receive the Sheila McKechnie award for his campaigning - against airport expansion. The Plane Stupid activist greeted the Prime Minister and asked why he and his ministers have refused to meet West London residents opposed to the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.

Glass simultaneously put his super-glue covered hand onto Brown’s sleeve. When Brown went to turn away he found his jacket had been super-glued to Plane Stupid, and had no option but to listen to Dan or undress.

In line with Plane Stupid's responsible attitude to protest, Dan ensured that none of the glue touched Mr Brown's skin and he happily gave the Prime Minister the simple washing instructions that would leave his jacket (almost) as good as new.

See Dan getting to grips with Gordon

Panorama exposes use of fantasy "supergreen" Jumbo jet
in pollution figures

We've heard of ghost planes, that run empty or with virtually no passengers, now Panorama reveals that BAA used a non-existent "supergreen" 747 plane when calculating its air pollution predictions.

BAA's Mike Forster claims that it was reasonable to assume that by 2030, when a third runway would be fully operational, aircraft would be much less polluting.

However, Panorama has contacted leading aircraft manufacturers to discover that a "supergreen" aircraft is not even on the drawing board. Therefore, there is no chance of such a plane being part of airline fleets in the next 20 years. The government assured residents that Heathrow expansion would not go ahead unless pollution targets could be met. This information demonstrates the tactics that are being employed to create figures to enable a third runway to be built.

Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick was asked about the collusion with BAA and the use of its discredited figures. Mr Fitzpatrick promised, "We have checked and double checked the figures. These are NOT BAA figures, these are ours."

We'll take that as a guarantee that the government's own pollution projections DO NOT include figures from non-existent "supergreen" aircraft. Otherwise Mr Fitzpatrick must surely expect heads to roll - including his own.

Times Online article on the use of virtual aircraft

Passenger numbers down but airlines still demand expansion

A fall in passenger numbers is forcing airlines to cut flights, or consider cutting them, yet they still continue to insist that Britain's aiports need more runways.

On 17th July, Budget airline Ryanair announced it will cut about 250 flights from Stansted this winter in an effort to offset higher fuel and airport costs. The airline said that this would mean 900 job losses at the airport. So who needs another runway at Stansted when this is the second year that Ryanair has cut ?

Despite carrying 900,000 less passengers and trimming it's fleet from 36 to 28 this winter, Chief executive Michael O'Leary remained upbeat. No doubt hoping that fuel prices soon plummet.

Meanwhile, British Airways warned that it would also need to cut capacity this winter. Speaking at Farnborough Air Show, BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh said it was "absolutely certain" that fuel costs will push ticket prices up. He also pointed out that most airlines have hedged against the fuel rises so current prices don't reflect the $150 a barrel fuel price. Walsh estimated that fuel rises would really "kick in" in 12-18months.

Walsh was keen to emphasise that this was not just a British Airways problem: "The industry is going to have to face up to significant changes." British Airways had previously forecast a 2-3% growth in its business but Walsh admitted that growth will now be "non-existent".

Press reports also indicate the return of the "ghost flights" at Heathrow. These are flights which are run virtually empty because airlines fear that if they don't use their slots they will lose them. The Times has singled out bmi as one airline planning to run ghost flights in the autumn.

BBC News video

Times report on ghost flights

Six months since 777 crashed yet still no cause revealed

Six months have passed since a Boeing 777 crashed at Heathrow on 17th January, yet the cause is still a mystery.

While it seems that the engine problems resulted from a failure in the fuel flow, the cause of the cut in supply is still uncertain according to press reports.

At the beginning of July, 16 members of the 777 crew were presented with a BA Safety Medal to honour their "remarkable skill and courage" on that flight. Strangely, just days before the awards ceremony, First Officer John Coward, who had steered the plane to safety, faced a second engine scare on a 777.

Mr Coward was flying from Calcutta on 6th July when the engine of the 777-200 failed for more than a minute. Thankfully it landed safely.

So if you are planning to fly in a 777 this summer, keep your fingers crossed. If you are one of the people living under a flightpath....it's best not to think about it.

Hutton brown-noses aviation bosses at Farnborough

Business secretary John Hutton took brown-nosing to new heights when he addressed aviation bosses at the opening of the Farnborough airshow on 14th July.

Keen to boost the government's popularity with the business community, Hutton talked about taking "difficult decisions on airport expansion" and said: "British businesses, and ultimately the British people, would not forgive us if we shirked our responsibility to do what's right because we wanted an easy ride from green lobby groups."

However, realising that British people might also not forgive a government that ignored serious environmental concerns, he added, "We will help make flying greener rather than restricting people's opportunities to fly altogether." (So everyone can have their cake and eat it!)

And should anyone doubt the government's priorities, Hutton spelt it out: "The aerospace industry must remain central to the British economy - and to our future as a hi-tech manufacturing nation."

Cllr Edward Lister, leader of Wandsworth Council, said: "The government appears once again to be pre-judging the outcome of the consultation on Heathrow expansion. The government's only answer to the transport needs of this country appears to be more runways and more flights which can only lead to more traffic congestion on the ground and more pollution."

HACAN Chair John Stewart also reacted, “John Hutton is being deliberately misleading. He knows full well that it is not just so-called ‘green groups’ who question the need to expand Heathrow. Less than two weeks ago London First, representing big business in London, said the priority was ‘a better not a bigger Heathrow’. Hutton should stop being dictated to by the aviation industry. Instead his decision should be made in the interest of the economy as a whole.”

Stewart added: “It is pretty disgraceful that yet another government minister appears to have prejudged the results of the consultation. It makes it all the more likely that the decision, when it eventually comes, will be challenged in the courts.”

Campaigners in talks with European Commissioner
on Heathrow Air quality

Anti-expansion campaigners have travelled to Strasbourg for a meeting with the European Commissioner for the Environment to discuss Heathrow and the UK government's likely failure to meet new EU air quality targets.

The meeting, on 11th July, was arranged after it became clear that the UK government would need to apply to the EU for a derogation (a temporary exemption) from the targets.

Even without the proposed expansion of Heathrow, air pollution in the residential areas around Heathrow currently exceeds the average annual limit for nitrogen dioxide prescribed in the Directive, and is therefore very unlikely to meet the new limit value of 40 micrograms per cubic metre by 2010 if the government approves an increase in flights.

MEPs Dr Caroline Lucas (Green Party) and Sarah Ludford (Lib Dem) joined Council Leaders from the 2M group, a coalition of councils that represents 4.5million people in areas affected by Heathrow expansion, to meet Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Commissioner Dimas expressed concern that the UK government might be planning to increase capacity at the airport, in anticipation of receiving a derogation. Dimas agreed to inform the MEPs should the UK government submit an application.

Dr Lucas commented: "The Air Quality Directive targets already allow for a certain degree of flexibility, but there is no way that the UK should be entering into a development – in this case, a 12.5% increase in the capacity of the existing runways - that will further increase NO2 and PM10 levels when it is already struggling to bring these in line with EU standards."

Hillingdon Council Leader Ray Puddifoot, who has been a long-time supporter of NoTRAG's campaign, said: "We know the UK government is desperate to find a way round the new nitrogen dioxide limits. If they can't, they won't be able to expand Heathrow." "Our meeting with Commissioner Dimas was incredibly positive. He left us in no doubt of his personal commitment to tackling air pollution."

From left: Dr Caroline Lucas MEP (Green, South East), Sarah Ludford MEP (Lib Dem, London), Cllr Edward Lister (Wandsworth Council), Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, Cllr Barbara Reid (Hounslow), Cllr Ray Puddifoot (Hillingdon)

The 2M case presented to Commissioner Dimas

BA and Rolls Royce attempt to find an alternative fuel

With escalating fuel costs and growing pressure to reduce pollution, Rolls-Royce and British Airways are teaming up to conduct an in-depth study of using alternative fuels in aircraft.

Announced on 10th July, the project needs alternative fuel providers to submit fuel samples. Then a shortlist of up to four will be drawn up for further testing on a Rolls-Royce RB211 engine from a BA Boeing 747 "Jumbo Jet".

With the production of bio-fuels raising concern, it will be interesting to see if the project can produce any optimistic results - before current air fleets are obsolete!

Guardian business article

T5 still losing over 900 bags a day

BAA's inability to run Heathrow efficiently made news again on 9th July when it emerged that transfer passengers, who BAA claim are essential at Heathrow, are losing more than 900 bags a day at Terminal 5 - that's a jaw-dropping 1 in 12.

Speaking to the transport select committee, trade union officials revealed what airport officials had tried to play down. Iggy Vaid, senior shop steward at the Unite union and a former T5 baggage handler, told MPs that 932 bags miss their onward journey from the terminal on a daily basis.

Steve Turner, Unite's national secretary for aviation, blamed the automated baggage handling system at T5 and the manual transfer of bags from T4, while a baggage link is under construction.

Mr Turner pointed out that his members enjoy working at the airport and would not normally jump to criticise but it was clear that the baggage handling at T5 "was a farce".

BA, as usual, blamed runway congestion. The company has lost at least £16m due to T5 problems.

Colin Matthews, BAA's Chief Executive tried to make light of his company's dire performance and kept smiling while he told the committee that (despite the figures) T5 is now "working well" and tried to suggest that other airports have baggage problems on a similar scale.

Plan for Heathrow expansion is "dead in the water"

After Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell stated on 8th July that the plan for Heathrow expansion is "dead in the water", the pressure on the government to admit it is propping up a dead duck has increased.

This has included some difficult questions from local MPs and an Editorial in The Guardian describing the standard of official thinking on expansion as "feeble".

During parliamentary questions on 8th July, Mr McDonnell MP responded to Ruth Kelly's announcement of a delay to the expansion decision by asking what she planned to do for his constituents who are suffering continued blight. "I have families with young children living in overcrowded accommodation in my constituency who cannot sell their properties. Lenders are no longer lending to people in my area, blighted by Heathrow, to enable them to purchase and sell properties." He suggested dropping the "madcap scheme" but asked if, in the meantime, Ruth Kelly would meet a delegation of local MPs and consider the introduction of an emergency blight package to compensate people affected by the Government’s delay in their decision-making processes.

Yet again, Ruth Kelly would not agree to meet and tried to hide her department's incompetence in not looking at the impact on the "demographic groups and equalities in the boroughs likely to be affected by any change" when it put together the public consultation. "However, I shall pass on (the) comments about the detriment that his constituents are facing to those involved in the consultation, so that they can think about how best to improve the situation locally."

Perhaps Ruth Kelly should talk to Jonathan Moor at the DfT who told NoTRAG on 21st November 2007 that the government planned to do NOTHING for local people because they are the responsibility of BAA.

Uxbridge MP, John Randall, used Prime Minister's question time (9th July) to point out that Ministers, including the Prime Minister, had repeatedly said there would be no further Heathrow expansion unless proposals met strict environmental limits. He asked why, given this, the government is asking for a derogation on air quality because it cannot meet the air quality controls around London.

Standing in for the PM, Harriet Harman avoided answering. She said Ruth Kelly had reminded her that "we have set out a range of issues, including carbon emissions and air quality, in a number of detailed technical documents for public scrutiny and consultation."

In fact, NoTRAG asked the "experts" on air quality at the public Consultation if they could explain the calculations that had achieved some of the bizarre conclusions on pollution. They could not. A written request got no response.

So Ms Harman and Ms Kelly STOP AVOIDING THE QUESTIONS - tell us exactly how more roads, 25 million more vehicle journeys and a massive increase in flights can result in LESS air and noise pollution for people currently surrounded by open fields? If you can do it you don't need to ask for exemption from new EU limits.

End of the Runway - Guardian Editorial

Ruth Kelly announces Heathrow decison delay

To no one's surprise, Ruth Kelly announced on 8th July that the decision on expansion at Heathrow has been delayed. The Department for Transport had previously indicated that a decision would be made this summer.

Ms Kelly said there was still work to be done in assessing the 70,000 responses from individuals and organisations to the Consultation into expansion, which ended on 27th February.

For once, Ms Kelly is right - there IS still work to done. This is because the Department of Transport did such a poor job with the public consultation that it would leave itself open to legal challenge if it did not undertake further work before announcing a decision.

Lawyers, acting for HACAN and some other campaigning groups, wrote to the DfT to ask why an Equalities Impact Assessment had not been done. Seems the DfT are rushing around trying to put that right.

The EU air pollution limits are also giving the DfT a headache. A huge number of the consultation responses will have expressed doubts that the EU legal limits could be met - even the Government's own environmental advisors, the Environment Agency, were not convinced.

The government clearly has to find some more plausible predictions of future air quality before it can risk announcing an increase in flights and a third runway development. A decision Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick had said in November was "right and necessary".

Ruth Kelly now says that a decision would be made "before the end of the year". (NoTRAG asks which year? Haven't people's homes been under threat for long enough?)

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN said, “We regard Ruth Kelly’s statement as merely an attempt to try and forestall any legal challenge. It is a sign that the Government’s case for expansion remains very shaky indeed.”

Meanwhile, John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington observed, "This delay demonstrates that the plans for Heathrow 3rd runway are floundering badly. Gordon Brown is now completely isolated on this issue, and it is increasingly obvious that the plan for the expansion at Heathrow is dead in the water”

Ruth Kelly statement

Public being misled by ministers says Government adviser.

The government’s adviser on air quality has warned that ministers are “pulling the wool” over the public’s eyes to justify building a third runway at Heathrow, according to the Sunday Times on 6th July.

Mike Pilling, professor of physical chemistry at Leeds University who chairs the government’s expert group on air quality, said the public were being misled over claims that Heathrow’s expansion would not cause unlawful and dangerous levels of pollution.

The Sunday Times reports that Pilling, who helped to devise the Department for Transport’s rubric for measuring future pollution around Heathrow, said a key recommendation to consider a range of future scenarios was disregarded. He said Kelly’s final conclusion that a third runway would not cause a significant increase in pollution was unreliable.

Kelly had previously pledged that the airport would be expanded only if it did not breach European Union pollution limits. “They mustn’t pull the wool over our eyes,” Pilling said last week.

His comments confirm what campaigners have been saying since the Department for Transport launched its consultation into expansion at Heathrow. Experts provided by the DfT at the public exhibitions were unable to explain how some of the pollution figures had been achieved. Making a written request for a breakdown of the calculations used, also failed to obtain answers.

The government seemed to base its predictions on optimistic assumptions, such as the development of cleaner engines and the speedy replacement of current airline fleets.

The Sunday Times article says that the public backlash has forced Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, to postpone her decision on expansion, which was due this summer.

The newspaper had previously revealed how the DfT and BAA collaborated to “fix” the environmental figures by selecting the data most likely to get a positive result.

Recently the Environment Agency warned that the DfT’s case is not “sufficiently robust” to conclude that pollution levels will not breach the legal EU limits. The agency said that more consideration should have been given to variations in traffic emissions, background air quality and climate change.

The National Trust has now joined those opposed to expansion - and to plans by Nats, the air traffic service, to redraw routes to ease congestion. Under the plans, some of England’s most tranquil areas will be spoilt by aircraft noise.

Serge Lourie, leader of Richmond council, told the Sunday Times that the Heathrow consultation was "an utter disgrace" and that if the DfT was now going to start rewriting the impact assessment, they should have a new consultation.

However, Sipson residents have had enough of "con"sultations and want nothing less than a firm decision against further expansion at Heathrow.

Politicians join Flash Mob at DfT offices

Leading Liberal Democrat Vincent Cable and Green London Assembly member Jenny Jones joined around 100 campaigners protesting against expansion at Heathrow when they staged a Flash Mob outside the Department for Transport on 3rd July.

Having revealed their "Stop Airport Expansion" T-shirts at 11.03am, the campaigners launched a flurry of paper planes in the direction of the DfT's London offices to carry their anti-expansion message.

At 7.30am that morning, six women from the direct action group Plane Stupid had paid a visit to Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's Dockland's apartment. The ladies thought Ms Kelly might like to sample the sort of wake up call that will be inflicted on many more West Londoners if expansion goes ahead at Heathrow.

However, when a recording of aircraft noise was blasted through the letterbox at 56 decibels - the level that the DfT has decided will not be a nuisance to West Londoners - Ruth Kelly's husband became an anti-aircraft noise protester himself!

After some minutes, the Plane Stupid women left having made their point.

The day of action was designed to highlight Ruth Kelly’s refusal to meet with opponents to the Government’s plans to expand Heathrow.

John Stewart, Chair of the residents’ campaign group HACAN, said: “Since Ruth Kelly refuses to meet with us, we decided to take our message to her.”

Climate Camp caravan to start in Heathrow villages

A 60-mile march to this year's Climate Camp at Kingsnorth in Kent will begin in the Heathrow villages on Sunday, 27th July.

The march will follow a conference in Harlington village on the Saturday. Further details will be available soon on the NoTRAG events page.

Climate Camp information

NoTRAG statement on Climate Camp 2007

Rail union says third runway "unnecessary"

A third runway at Heathrow would be "unnecessary" if there was serious investment in rail, according to a study commissioned by the Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and released on 25th June.

The report, Who Says There Is No Alternative?, says tens of thousands of new jobs would be created and air pollution levels would fall if planned investment at Heathrow airport was switched to new high-speed rail lines. This travel alternative could drastically cut short-haul flights, boosting the economy and leading to new jobs.

It seems the RMT is leading the way, as the first union to look for environmentally acceptable alternatives to Heathrow expansion. (Most airport workers must wonder why their own unions appear so unconcerned by the high pollution levels that their members have to endure.)

The new report shows that where high-speed rail links have been opened there has been a significant switch from air to rail, and warns that the UK is in danger of being left behind as countries like Spain reap the benefits of massive rail investment.

The report's release followed an announcement by Network Rail of a study into the prospect of opening new high-speed lines.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said at his union's annual conference in Nottingham: "This report shows that high-speed rail can provide a win-win solution for the economy and the environment. Paris remains Heathrow's top destination and there are as many flights leaving for Edinburgh as for New York, and if we provide a viable, fast and sustainable alternative to short-haul flights the case for Heathrow expansion would evaporate."

Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell, chairman of the union's parliamentary group, said: "This report proves conclusively that there is a rail alternative to Heathrow expansion and undermines totally the argument for a new runway and sixth terminal. It should provide the basis upon which the government thinks again."

MSN news article

BAA now "a lonely voice" wanting a third runway

As BAA's latest Chief Executive, Colin Matthews, prepared to make his first major speech on 25th June, Radio 4's Today programme pointed out to him that he was "a lonely voice" wanting a third runway.

Mr Matthews claimed he was not a lonely voice but struggled to argue his case in the face of business cooling on the idea of expanding Heathrow.

London First, a business lobby group, is about to publish a report that says the focus should be on improving Heathrow before even contemplating a third runway. The report will suggest that Heathrow could reduce the number of flights or use operational changes to release the pressure on the airport.

The Radio 4 interviewer noted that prominent figures, including London Mayor, Boris Johnson, are against expansion at Heathrow and have put forward alternatives. Mr Matthews countered this by saying Heathrow expansion would be cheaper; He was clearly not considering strong protests that Heathrow is sited in the wrong place, saying: "Heathrow is where it is."

While Matthews trotted out the old predictable lines about needing more capacity, it was pointed out that, as BAA has a monopoly in Britain, it was hard to take his partial view seriously. According to Matthews, this is why it is important that the elected government should have a clear policy. Shame Matthews hadn't thought about the strong possibility of the Conservatives winning the next election, a party that would block plans for a third runway.

With his argument slipping away, Matthews couldn't name a single supporter but expected the CBI to have "a clear voice on that topic".

Matthews then quickly changed the subject to the one he had attempted to introduce throughout the interview - transfer passengers. He believes Heathrow needs transfer passengers (who just change planes at the BAA airport but don't stay to spend money in Britain) because they help fill planes. Without Heathrow acting as a hub airport for these passengers passing through, Matthews claims the UK would not, for example, have a direct link with India's IT capital, Bangalore. He sees this as important.

That will be an interesting discussion topic for all those likely to suffer the pollution and environmental devastation of airport expansion - both in the UK and in India.

Listen to the BBC interview

David Cameron attacks plans for a third runway

In a speech on 16th June, Conservative leader, David Cameron, attacked plans for expansion at Heathrow and accused the government of faking the case for a third runway at Heathrow to score political points:

"Why on earth are they so hell-bent on pressing ahead with a third runway at Heathrow without a proper and rigorous analysis of whether we need it? Just like their approach to 42 days detention, this is about political positioning, not getting the substance right. Gordon Brown says a third runway for Heathrow is vital for the future of our economy - that we won't be able to compete without it.

"But if you get behind the headline, his argument falls apart. For example, the case for a third runway is based on Heathrow as an even bigger hub airport with a massive increase in the number of transfer passengers. The economic value of transfer passengers is hotly disputed. And there are so many examples of the hub model going wrong.

"It contributed to the bankruptcy of almost every US airline that has gone out of business over recent years. And it contributed to European failures like Sabena as well. Why? Because passengers are people, not statistics.

"Faced with airport inefficiencies like missed connections, lost baggage and delayed flights, passengers will vote with their feet and go elsewhere. After the recent fiasco at Terminal 5, there must be severe doubt about whether the Government and BAA are even capable of managing the expansion of Heathrow to cope with over 700,000 flights a year by 2030.

"I think the whole country can agree that the most important priority for Heathrow is making it better, not bigger - and yet Gordon Brown is pig-headedly pursuing a third runway just to try and prove a political point. What a ridiculous way to plan for the future.

"The Heathrow argument is not one where you have the economic case on one side and the environmental case on the other. There are now increasing grounds to believe that the economic case for a third runway is flawed, even without addressing the serious environmental concerns. The important decisions for our economic competitiveness - and for ending the national embarrassment of the state of Heathrow are the competition issues around BAA, looking at how our airports are managed, and seeing what can be done to make them better.

"If we get those decisions right, as part of a serious long-term strategy for renewing our transport infrastructure, we can go green while strengthening our economy."

Evening Standard article

Cameron: I won't back Gordon's great Heathrow con

Evening Standard Comment on Cameron's Blue/Green Charter

Pilots with poor English blamed for near collision at Heathrow

Polish pilots flying near Heathrow, almost caused a mid-air collision due to their poor English, an Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) report revealed on 12th June 2008.

The LOT airlines Boeing 737, with 95 passengers and crew on board, lost its way in the skies around Heathrow after leaving the airport bound for Warsaw.

Unfortunately, the co-pilot keyed in the wrong co-ordinates into the Flight Management System, similar to a car's sat nav, which caused it to fail.

As a result, the Polish co-pilot (who was flying) took the jet in the wrong direction. Several times he went in the opposite direction to the one given by air traffic controllers because he could not understand the English instructions.

After heading northwards to Uxbridge and Watford, he attempted to return to Heathrow. At one point he passed so close to another aircraft that the other pilot was forced to change course - officially a "Short Term Conflict Alert".

Twenty-seven minutes later, the 737 returned to Heathrow via Slough.

English is the universal language of aviation yet only 15 out of the 800 Polish pilots flying internationally have passed the language test, according to The Times. BBC News reported that the deadline for compliance with the language test was March 2008 but Poland is unlikely to be able to comply until 2011.

In the meantime, the British government believes it is appropriate to increase flights over the capital city - then add a third runway to boost air traffic even more. How many near misses does there have to be before Gordon Brown sees sense and calls a halt to any further expansion at Heathrow?

The Mail OnLine article

Amy Greenhouse says NO, NO, NO!

Just lately, more celebrities have been standing up against expansion: Rula Lenska and Fay Ripley at the WeCAN event, Razorlight's Johnny Borrell singing at the Science Museum for Friends of the Earth and The Kaiser Chiefs backing Stop Stansted Expansion. But there was only one celeb headturner in Sipson in May...Amy Greenhouse.

Her latest "must-see" video, includes her unique vocal performance at the Make a NOise event and also reveals that Amy is a talented interviewer.

So, as Greenhouse gases to fellow marchers - or in her case, it's a sexy slouch - we all learn more about climate change.

And even though her towering beehive suffers the full blast from low-flying jets and wilts in the heat, Amy keeps her cool.

The facial stubble only adds to the Star's raw '50s-style glamour - what a stunner!

They wanna build another runway, Amy says No, No, No!

Large and Loud - Gordon are you listening?

Thousands Make a NOise against Heathrow expansion

Thousands gave a resounding NO to expansion at Heathrow at the Make a NOise event on Saturday, 31st May. After a week of miserable, wet weather the sun burst out for the carnival march. Someone up there must like the Stop Heathrow Expansion campaign!

To the beat of samba rhymns and jazz bands, the marchers left Hatton Cross and made their way to Sipson Memorial Recreation Ground to form a massive human NO.

Hayes and Harlington MP, John McDonnell led the choreographed crowds - flipping sheets of paper to animate the giant NO for the cameras on the "cherry picker".

It had been a long day for some, with people travelling to Sipson from all over the country. There were also supporters from anti-expansion campaigns in France, Germany and Greece.

When the NO disbanded, there was the chance to stroll through the village to enjoy the marvellous weather at one of the pubs, listen to the bands on the main stage or have fun at the children's funfair.

Thank you to everyone who came to Sipson to support the village and to highlight the need to tackle climate change. Together we will make government ministers say, NO THIRD RUNWAY.

US embassy attacks plane tax plan

The US embassy in London has criticised a government plan to tax airlines on each plane rather than each passenger, from November 2009.

In a letter leaked to the Daily Telegraph, the embassy disputes the Treasury case that the change is aimed at lowering CO2 emissions.

The embassy says the new tax appears to be just a way of generating extra revenue, and could breach international laws.

The Treasury denies it is proposing any tax which could be considered illegal.

Housing warning confirms insanity of destroying homes for runways

Ministers are "very unlikely" to achieve housing targets, the UK's chief advisor on home building has warned.

Professor Stephen Nickell said that, unless conditions change, the target of three million new homes in England by 2020 will not be met.

To get to this target, the housing industry needs to be building 240,000 homes a year, a figure that few think they can achieve this year.

With the construction industry unable to meet current targets, it is insanity to plan to destroy at least 700 homes in Sipson and make many more uninhabitable. Home owners forced out by a third runway development, would be given NO assistance to find a house. They face the prospect of having to move a great distance to locate property within their price range during a housing shortage. According to the DfT, the government will do nothing to help because these people are the responsibility of BAA.

Although Hillingdon Borough would be obliged to find homes for council tenants, the borough already has 2,000 people on its waiting list. Private tenants cannot expect any help from the local authority.

Should the government decide that a third runway can go ahead, it will be aware that it is condemning many people to the misery of homelessness. In addition, BAA will face years of conflict with residents and campaigners. Building deadlines will never be met, causing construction costs to soar.

The only decision a rational government can make is NO THIRD RUNWAY.

Bomber targeted airport because of security weaknesses

A British Muslim accused of leading a transatlantic airline bomb plot in summer 2006 has admitted that he dropped plans to attack Parliament and switched to an airport because "security not so tight".

On 3rd June, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, told Woolwich Crown Court that he was particularly interested in Heathrow Terminal 3 because it was used by several American airlines. He admitted planning to set off an explosive device at an aiport but claims it was a "publicity stunt".

Ali and seven other men deny charges of conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft.

It was the discovery that the group planned to disguise the explosives as soft drinks bottles, which led to security measures to restrict liquids in passengers luggage.

Foreign workers at UK airports avoid crime checks

In May, a Newsnight report revealed that foreign workers employed airside at UK airports do not have to undergo full mandatory criminal records checks.

Since 2003, all staff have been checked against UK criminal records, but offences abroad are not covered.

Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick was grilled by Jeremy Paxman about the obvious security risk. Paxman attempted to discover why Mr Fitzpatrick was not immediately plugging this loophole which had been gaping open for five years! The government has instead decided to commission a report into the matter.

Mr Fitzpatrick also had to admit, under fierce questioning, that he had no idea how many foreigners work at UK airports. Around 200,000 work airside at UK airports. BAA would not confirm how many of its workers are foreign.

Biometric ID cards for airside workers, "allowing an individual to be linked more securely to their own true identity" are not due to be introduced until 2009.

Bombers targeted Heathrow

Jim Fitzpatrick gets a grilling

When your children ask what you did about climate change,
what will YOU say?

Prince Charles has spoken out about the dangers of ignoring climate change. In an interview to mark the BBC World Service's Amazon Day on 15th May, the prince focused on deforestation and its impact on the world's climate.

Known for "sticking his neck out", as he puts it, Prince Charles feels that his comments on important issues are aimed at enabling discussion not interferring but pointed out that there is now an urgency to tackling climate change.

The prince takes every opportunity to raise awareness:
"I don't want to be got at by your children or grandchildren, let alone mine, saying, "Why didn't you do something about it?", which is what they will say, I guarantee it, and it's our responsiblility."

Thousands joined the Make a NOise march on 31ST MAY - they showed that they care about the world their children will inherit.

Hear the full interview with Prince Charles

Yummy mummies turn into ecoactivists

Campaigners catch up with Ruth Kelly

On 22nd May, anti-expansion campaigners finally caught up with the elusive Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly.

The Evening Standard debate asked: "Does Heathrow Need A Bigger Heathrow?" Campaigners felt sure they already knew what panelists Ruth Kelly and Baroness Valentine (Chief Executive Officer, London First) would reply.

Predictably, Ruth Kelly skirted round the issues. John Stewart of HACAN asked about the collapse of the economic argument for expansion. Bypassing the facts, Kelly replied that she "would be guided on the right thing to do in the long-term interests of the country."

If climate change campaigners thought that reducing air travel would benefit future generations, they were apparently wrong. According to Ms Kelly, mother of four, "Children expect to travel, and I for one think that is a good thing. Air travel broadens their horizons and makes them better human beings as a result." Sounds like Ruth's kids have badgered her into buying some flights to sunnier shores during the school holidays.

As for noise, according to Ruth the noise footprint with an expanded Heathrow will not be any greater so "it will not affect more people than it does now." Nice try, Ruth but no one's falling for that one.

By contrast, Baroness Valentine, who represents business interests, is now less convinced by arguments for expansion. Heathrow, she pointed out, needs to get much better before it considers getting bigger.

If she reads the new World Wildlife Fund report, "Travelling Light", Baroness Valentine will find herself getting even closer to the conclusions of those opposing expansion.

UPDATE:

You can now listen to the debate online. Ruth Kelly says in her opening address, "Continuing uncertainty about Heathrow's future wouldn't do anybody any good. Least of all... the people living near it. Do we need a bigger Heathrow? Yes but not at any cost, only if strict local environmental conditions can be met." The government must be made to keep to their promise.

Ruth Kelly refers to "evidence" but she knows that the DfT and BAA have held meetings because environmental targets CANNOT be met and that figures needed to be rejigged for the "con"sultation. Therefore an honest government will say, "No Third Runway". They must also rule out any future new Heathrow runways, as "uncertainty about Heathrow's future wouldn't do anybody any good". Ruth Kelly indicates she knows about the suffering and blight inflicted on Sipson residents and those nearby.

Are the government ready to face reality and admit R3 is a bad idea? That depends on whether this government and its ministers can be trusted. So campaigners, don't put the champagne on ice just yet!

New rail link proposals make Third Runway development
even bigger

BAA and the government are meeting with an engineering group to discuss making the proposed Heathrow development even bigger, with a new link to the national rail network and the Channel Tunnel, according to a Daily Mail report on 28th May.

The article states that, "If agreed, the scheme, designed by engineering group Arup, would replace the possible (sic) sixth terminal building..."

Travellers, it claims, would be able to arrive at Heathrow from Leeds and Manchester by rail in less than two hours. Arup also envisages building on the Great Western main line - making the airport accessible to the west, the south-west, Wales and the Midlands - and a link with the Channel Tunnel.

The Arup plan would include a 12-platform station with extra terminal capacity for checking-in baggage. This new "Heathrow Hub" would be built 3.5km north of the current Heathrow boundary, on the site of the proposed sixth terminal. Inevitably this development, which would already totally destroys Sipson village, will require a greater land take threatening surrounding areas of Harlington, West Drayton and Harmondsworth.

Despite this, the report claims "the scheme is likely to impress critics of the 2,200 metre runway" because it would be "more environmentally friendly".

While attempting to soften up opposition to Heathrow expansion by cutting emissions from cars, the plans seem to ignore the massive increase in flights at Heathrow proposed under the expansion plans. Destruction of the Heathrow villages and the suffering of people under flightpaths has also been totally disregarded.

Arup says it is in discussion with BAA, local councils and the government and expects a decision on the proposal to be made before the results of the consultation on Heathrow expansion are announced later this year.

Read the MailOnLine report

BA boss turns down bonus

While heads have continued to roll following the T5 fiasco, on 16th May BA boss Willie Walsh revealed he had turned down his performance bonus, thought to be approximately £700,000.

Willie Walsh explained that he felt "it would be inappropriate" to accept a bonus, and the BA Chairman agreed.

At the same time, British Airways announced that profits were up 45% to £883 million, although these figures do not include the cost of the T5 problems or the soaring cost of fuel.

Analysts believe that BA has "shrunk into profitability", with an increase in business travel.

Mr Walsh claims to learn from his mistakes. In which case he should stop trying to expand into unprofitability with a sixth terminal and third runway at Heathrow.

BAA T5 boss Mark Bullock finally quits job

As predicted by NoTRAG campaigners, Heathrow's Managing Director, Mark Bullock, is leaving BAA following the Terminal 5 fiasco.

Last week, MPs said the T5 fiasco had "made a fool out of the country" and called for an explanation. On 13th May, BAA clearly put the blame at Mr Bullock's door although it announced he had "chosen to leave".

(In April, British Airways announced that two of its top executives, operations director Gareth Kirkwood and customer service director David Noyes, were leaving the airline following the T5 problems.)

Mark Bullock was the man who brought the misguided injunction against anti-expansion campaigners last summer. It was another costly fiasco for BAA, who ended up a laughing stock and had to foot a massive legal bill while the Camp for Climate Action in Sipson, which Mr Bullock had tried to prevent, went ahead in a blaze of publicity.

Tired Brown given election wake-up call

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has persistently pushed for a third runway at Heathrow against strong public opposition, is being told to start listening to voters if he wants to keep Labour in power following disastrous election results.

After a hammering in local elections on 1st May, and the appointment of a Conservative London Mayor on 3rd May, a tired-looking Brown faced a barrage of criticism from prominent Labour Party figures calling for a re-examination of government policies.

Hazel Blears, Communities Secretary: "The public is sending a really strong message that they have problems in their lives and want the Government to help them through. What we do next is spend more time out of London and out of Whitehall on the estates listening to people and taking action on the bread and butter issues."

Michael Meacher, former environment minister: "If we don't have a profound and fundamental change in policy and direction we will lose the next general election."

John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington: "Without a radical change of direction we are witnessing a Labour government slipping away."

Ed Balls, Schools Secretary: "Labour supporters are cross and worried and we need to do a lot more to show we are on their side. I don't think listening is enough. We have to act."

David Blunkett, the former home secretary: "We need to refresh and renew."

Perhaps Hazel Blears should take her own advice and listen to the communities around Sipson that her Government is planning to destroy. As Ruth Kelly has already wiped Sipson off her Sat Nav, Hazel should make the effort to visit the estates under flightpaths and show Ed Balls the damaging affect noise has on childrens' education.

As for refreshing and renewing, isn't it time for a reshuffle? Putting someone in Transport who hasn't been seduced by the aviation industry could give Labour an instant boost in popularity.

Ex BA boss opposes third runway at Heathrow

While current aviation bosses continue their attempts to justify a third runway at Heathrow, former chief executive of British Airways, Bob Ayling, is free to give his view - that expanding Heathrow would be a "costly mistake".

Bob Ayling, who headed BA from 1996-2000, told The Sunday Times (4th May) what campaigners against expansion have said for a long time, that Heathrow expansion is "against Britain's economic interests".

In the Sunday Times article, Ayling states that BAA is pursuing a flawed business model that has contributed to the bankruptcy and near collapse of numerous US and European airlines, and has turned the airport into "a national disgrace".

Ayling also warned, "An expanded hub at Heathrow might not even be beneficial to British Airways. Transfer traffic in its own right is loss making."

He continued, "What Ruth Kelly and the government do not see is that transfer passengers, for whom such a hub would be built, spend no money in Britian, at least little beyond the value of a cup of tea."

Read more on TimesOnLine

Film-making mums focus on children in new campaign

Female film-makers, most with school-age children, are making a series of short films to raise awareness about environmental issues that will have a big impact on the youngsters - including Heathrow expansion.

The first 90-second short by Rebecca Frayn, When I Grow Up, is already on the internet and was shown at the anti-Heathrow expansion rally in London.

A forthcoming film will use comedy, and St Trinian's schoolgirls, to remind people to switch off lights and save energy. Another issue is the proposed coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, the venue for the summer's Climate Camp.

The women involved with the new company making the films, Bright Green Pictures, are a talented and well-connected bunch:

Christina Robert has worked in films for 25 years and is wife of Barnaby Thompson, film producer and head of Ealing Studios.

Rebecca Frayn, a successful TV documentary-maker and daughter of the writer Michael Frayn, is married to Andy Harries, producer of The Queen and of the Bafta-winning Prime Suspect television dramas.

Eski Thomas is a screenwriter of the film All The Little Animals and married to Jeremy Thomas, producer of The Last Emperor and Crash.

Lila Morgan used to make commercials and her husband is Peter Morgan, writer of The Queen, The Deal, Longford and the play Frost/Nixon.

Lesley Cavendish has worked in films and is married to Jonathan Cavendish, producer of Bridget Jones.

The group are cooperating with a new campaign group, We Can (Climate Action Now). With a website set up last week and coordinated by the former ITN journalist Jennifer Nadel, it is organising a vigil of mothers and children outside the House of Commons on May 20 to protest about Heathrow.

Ms Nadel told The Sunday Times, “We have been deluded into thinking that simply not buying a plastic bag will help the environment hugely. It might make us feel good, but it is giving us a false sense of security. We must go much, much further and very, very quickly.”

TimesOnLine article

Join Protest Vigil and view "When I Grow Up"

Boris Johnson becomes London Mayor

Shortly before midnight on 2nd May, Boris Johnson MP was declared London Mayor after defeating Ken Livingstone.

All four main candidates had supported the anti-runway campaign, with both Boris and Ken visiting the villages during their campaigns to meet members of the NoTRAG committee.

In his acceptance speech, Boris made a point of saying he would protect green spaces. He also said that voters had decided that the Conservatives are a party that can be trusted.

Millions of Londoners who would be adversely affected by Heathrow expansion will be looking for the new Mayor to keep his promise of support.

And Boris, we know you have a "No Third Runway" badge - please don't forget to wear it.

US air chief says Heathrow is the worst airport in Europe

Don Langford, Head of Customer Services Europe for American Airlines, told BBC Radio's File On Four programme that Heathrow suffers from a lack of investment and is "a bit of a dump".

Pinpointing Heathrow's Terminal 3, Mr Langford observed, "If you look at the fabric of the building, if you look at where customers check in - missing light bulbs, duct tape on the floor - I would have to say that Heathrow is in many ways the worst of all the airports that my company flies to in Europe."

As usual, BAA try to blame Heathrow's shortcomings on capacity in a feeble attempt to convince passengers that life would be better if Heathrow were even bigger.

BAA's corporate affairs director Tom Kelly (formerly an advisor to Tony Blair) told the BBC, "This is an airport which was designed for something like 45 million passengers - we have now got 65 million."

Speaking the a company whose owners are already heavily in debt Mr Kelly continued: "We are investing £4bn over the next five years.....you've got to realise that if you are going to invest that kind of money it takes time to put things right."

File On 4 was told that rehearsals for T5's opening had revealed problems. Mick Rix of the GMB union criticised testing of the baggage system, claiming that British Airways had severe reservations about the software that is being used.

One of 250 volunteers taking part in a dry run two weeks before the first working day, teacher Sue Knight from Hillingdon, Middlesex, spoke of problems she discovered during the trials. There were problems with buses transferring passengers between terminals and luggage that was given to volunteers to check in was not taken through the system and returned.

Peter Morris, chief economist of aviation consultancy Ascend said the Terminal 5 trials were on too small a scale. A point disputed by Tom Kelly of BAA who said critics were being wise after the event.

Both BAA and British Airways have been told been by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to produce urgent reports on the Terminal 5 problems so that they do not occur when Heathrow modernises Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Hear the full story on BBC Radio 4: File On 4 Tuesday 29 April 2008 at 2000 BST, repeated Sunday 4 May at 1700 BST or online at the File on 4 website.

BBC News report

Rising fuel prices weaken argument for third runway

The sky-high cost of fuel is pushing airlines out of business and weakening the argument for expansion at Heathrow, according to environmentalist Leo Hickman.

In recent weeks, market conditions have led to airlines such as Eon, Maxjet, Oasis, ATA Airlines, Aloha, Skybus and Champion Air going out of business. While more well-known airlines such as NorthWest and Delta have been forced to look at merging in order to survive.

Leo Hickman asks whether market conditions will get to decide the fate of the proposed third runway at Heathrow too.

While expansion plans at Heathrow were made when oil was 25 dollars a barrel, it is now heading towards 200 dollars. This price has yet to be paid by airlines, who buy their fuel many months in advance.

However, as ticket prices start to reflect the increase costs, Leo Hickman wonders whether passengers will look back on Summer 2008 as the last time they were able to fly abroad on holiday "on the cheap".

UPDATE - On 23rd May, The price of oil hit a record high above $135 a barrel - more than twice what it cost a year ago. The cost of fuel is likely to affect prices, reducing demand for leisure travel.

Read Leo Hickman's article

GOVERNMENT TO BETRAY LONDONERS OVER AIR QUALITY

Londoners believed that their air quality would improve in 2010 when new EU limits on air pollution come into force, but the government is set to sacrifice their well being to please the pro-expansionists.

Ministers are planning to ask the European commission for a special deal to exempt the capital from official limits on exposure to air pollutants. They want to pave the way for Heathrow to boost flight numbers by 60,000, with aircraft taking off and landing on the same runway.

The increase in passenger numbers would also increase the volume of road traffic. This would be multiplied with the construction of a third runway, 6th terminal and associated buildings in a development the size of Gatwick airport.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said the government's decision, disclosed in a document obtained by The Sunday Times, was "a disgraceful act of bad faith".

Susan Kramer, Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, which lies under the Heathrow flight path, referred to this government manoevering on air quality as its "dirty little secret".

The European Union air quality directive, which comes into force in May 2008, would require the UK to meet limits on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 2010, in line with World Health Organisation standards.

The government, and BAA, know that Heathrow expansion cannot meet these figures. Although NO2 is known to cause respiratory problems and premature death in vulnerable people, the government is set to ask for formal permission to delay the compliance date for at least five years.

Read The Sunday Times article

BAA caught trying to influence Competition Commission Inquiry

Anti-expansion campaigners are used to BAA's dodgy tactics, so it came as no surprise to discover that investigators have caught BAA trying to influence consultants advising the Competition Commission inquiry that urged a break-up of the airports group.

The commission has censured BAA saying it "takes any suggestion of interference in the discharge of its functions very seriously".

The Sunday Times on 27th April reports that, in January, the commission held a tender for consultants to advise it on BAA's plans for a new runway at Stansted.
It would seem that BAA had some involvement with the tendering and appointment process.

As a result, the commission decided to drop the first tender and appointed a different company to do the work.

BAA claimed it was an "isolated incident involving one employee" which was "in no way authorised, encouraged or condoned by senior management".

It refused to say whether the employee involved had been sacked.

We'll take that as a no then.

Read The Sunday Times article

Campaigners get "Ruth-less"

"Ruth-less" campaigners fighting expansion at Heathrow have launched a bid to get Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, to meet them.

To mark International Noise Awareness Day on 16th April, members of HACAN, NoTRAG and the 2M group started the Find Ruth campaign to persuade the illusive lady to meet the people directly affected by plans to build a third runway, sixth terminal and end agreements that give residents respite from aircraft noise.

The campaign is asking those affected to write to Ruth Kelly (address on our Write To Them page) and ask her to pay them a visit. HACAN is suggesting that its members invite Ms Kelly to spend a day and a night with them so she can experience noise levels for herself.

Chairman John Steward said: "Ruth Kelly has mixed with aviation bosses but has not come to meet any of the residents in their homes. If Ruth doesn't come to see us, we will go to see her.

He continued, "We think it is entirely appropriate that this campaign is being launched on International Noise Awareness Day. If Government's plans go ahead, it will mean noise all day long for many parts of West London."

Geraldine Nicholson, Chair of NoTRAG, said: "Ruth Kelly has so far refused to come down to meet with any of the thousands of people who will lose their homes if her expansion plans go ahead. We will mount a ruthless campaign to find her."

Government to examine the economic regulation of UK airports

Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly announced at lunchtime on 22nd April that the government will review the economic regulation of UK airports.

The announcement followed the release of interim findings by the Competition Commission, which were extremely critical of BAA's domination of airports in
south-east England and parts of Scotland. Not surprisingly, the watchdog felt that BAA "may not be serving well the interests of either airlines or passengers". The Commission's full report is due in August.

The government's review will look at how to improve customer service, boost investment and deal with environmental concerns. The government will also be examining the role of the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.

In television and radio interviews, the new Chief Executive of BAA, Colin Matthews, skirted the issue of poor BAA service. However, on Radio 4 he said that if BAA service did not improve it would not have a leg to stand on.

Ruth Kelly's statement

MPs slam Government over collusion with BAA on Heathrow Consultation

Heathrow MP John McDonnell has called for an independent Public Inquiry into the Consulation on plans to expand the airport after MPs lined up in a House of Commons debate (3rd April) to slam the Government over collusion with BAA when drawing up the consultation.

MPs forced the Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, to admit that the Department for Transport had received a stagering 70,000 responses to the consultation. Previously, he had only admitted to 18,000.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesman, Norman Baker, who opened he debate initiated by his Party, likened BAA to "some fiendish drug addict" with the Government "its willing dealer".

He congratulated Justine Greening, Conservative MP for Putney, on her Freedom of Information request, which showed "that the unsatisfactory initial results led to executives from BAA being given unrivalled access to Whitehall and confidential data so that they could select alternative input data for environmental predications until they got the right results."

Justine Greening told the Commons: “The freedom of information results that I have obtained clearly show that BAA was so involved with modelling the air pollution and noise that there was a BAA forecasting team. BAA also sat on the Heathrow project board. I do not remember being invited to sit on that board as a key stakeholder and local MP. BAA was involved with the DfT in developing joint lines to take to deal with media and press inquiries. That is fundamentally wrong.”

The Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, echoed the criticism of the Government: “I do not know whether the Secretary of State thinks that cosy meetings at BAA headquarters to “reforecast” and fix the figures to get the answer that is wanted are a proper way to conduct the planning process.”

John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, whose constituency includes Heathrow, put down an Early Day Motion calling for no decision to be taken on a third runway and 6th terminal until an independent Public Inquiry into the recent consultation process has been set up and has reported.

McDonnell said in the debate: “For many people out there, the message that comes across loudly is that this place is becoming good enough only for climbing on the roof and hanging their banners, and useful for nothing else.”

Former Environment Minister Michael Meacher said: “I think that there must be accountability for such behaviour. I assume that no Minister was directly involved in the massaging of these data, but I believe that leading civil servants, including David Gray who appears in all the documents, should be disciplined and, if necessary, removed, which is what I believe would occur in any other sector of employment.”

Michael Meacher has written to the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas, to ask him to investigate the Government’s handling of the consultation since a crucial part of the consultation concerned whether the EU legal limits on air pollution would be exceeded if expansion took place.

John Stewart of HACAN said, “We totally support the call for an independent Public Inquiry. The grilling Ministers were given in Parliament shows this issue of collusion between the DfT and BAA will just not go away.”

Hansard account of the debate