Opposition to expansion is short-sighted

For many years people have written and spoken out against expansion of any airport in the South of England. I find this short-sightedness extraordinary.

As long as people want, or need, to travel to distant places, be it for a holiday or business, there will be a need for air travel. The rapid rise in the number of people who want to travel by air means that the airports will have to expand in order to cope with the ever-increasing number who wish to travel.

If just one person who is protesting against the expansion can honestly, hand on heart, say that neither they, or anyone they know, has never travelled by air, I would say they are kidding themselves!

The only people who can, legitimately, object to the expansion of an airport, or any other matter they may want to object to, are those who lived there BEFORE the place was built. Then, and only then, have they any legitimate complaint. An airport, by its very nature, is bound to grow as the need for more capacity increases.

I live less than ½ a mile from Gatwick Airport runway, and it does not faze me in one iota.

I'm willing to bet that, if Heathrow closed tomorrow, those people who are complaining about the expansion would be up in arms about the loss of jobs!

Reply: Far from being short-sighted, most campaigners against airport expansion are looking into the future if the proposed expansions go ahead. It is a grim sight.

Vast areas of our country would be lost forever under concrete; air and noise pollution would increase, homes and communities would be destroyed; beautiful historic buildings would be broken down for salvage and replaced by hideous monstrosities designed to process travellers for maximum profit; people in areas blighted by the expansions will watch as their communities decay under the pressure to replace family homes with smaller units to maximise income from the influx of transient workers; hotels and boarding houses will replace less lucrative community facilities and businesses; road traffic will increase so passengers, freight and workers can reach the airport with little consideration given to the people on these routes or in the places needed for parking, depots and warehouses; gradually the areas become dominated by the airport.

All this for the promise of some extra jobs, which often don't materialise as the industry is constantly looking at ways to cut staff costs. Local people are often left with the lower-grade jobs while higher earners travel considerable distances to work.

How do I know this? Because I have lived near Heathrow all my life. I have seen the impact of the airport on the surrounding area, particularly to the north and east, and would not wish that on any other community.

I believe everyone has a right to a oppose airport expansion, particularly those concerned about climate change, but for the record my family is one of those that settled near the picturesque hamlet of Heath Row before the Wright Brothers had their first powered flight.

I have no objection to people flying, if they do so responsibly, but we all have to understand that there is a greater price to pay than the one on our job-cutting computer-printed ticket.

We already accept many measures to curb our greedy desires - the government taxes us or imposes restrictions. Why should frequent flyers be treated differently from smokers, drinkers and car drivers?

Incidentally, not building a third runway WILL NOT close Heathrow airport and I WILL NOT be complaining about lost airport jobs, inevitable as the aviation looks increasingly to automation. We already have too many eggs in that rickety basket.

One glimmer of hope is that governments are gradually waking up to the need to invest in new technology and green jobs.

With any luck, my sons will live in a world that puts a greater value on preserving our planet than on filling the pockets of overpaid executives.

Christine Taylor, Vice Chair

I support your campaign

I only visit your very beautiful part of the Country occasionally but I support your campaign 100%. I have friends in Chalfont St Giles and when I visit I am much impressed by your lovely scenery and I think it is vile and disgusting that they want to bury one of your villages.

I live near Aberdeen airport and it is definitley underused. There are very few direct overseas holiday flights and all of them are booked solid months ahead, forcing prospective travellers to book with changes at London thus giving an inaccurate picture of true airport useage. This is no doubt the same at all the other regional airports in Britain.

As security queues get longer and more dreary, fast trains (powered by hydro-electric?) could make a new runway obsolete before it's even started. We're going to have to get through the Olympics without a new runway and if we can do that we really won't need one afterwards.

Good Luck to one and all involved. Please don't think you are fighting a regionalised issue, There are plenty of us "out here" who pray you will succeed.

Heathrow 3rd Runway

Date : Tuesday 20th October 2009

I would like to say NO to the proposed 3rd runway at Heathrow. Aren't there already enough planes taking off every day and night without any extra.

This Government keeps on taxing people who drive bigger cars and keep telling us to turn our heating down and wash our clothes on a cooler cycle which doesn't seem to bring them up clean.

Now, to add insult to injury another of this Government's "Do as we say not as we do". I am fed up of constantly hearing about how climate change is affecting all of us, but then they go and give permission for a Skyscraper to built in an already congested London.

What next ???

Very angry resident who has had to listen to planes disturbing her sleep!!!

Proposed Third Runway

Date : Monday 10th August 2009

Good Luck to all you people. Don't let this greedy and corruption ridden dictatorship we live under do this.

I can't understand the need for this? If you include Luton and City, there are 5 airports and 6 runways for just Greater London already. That's without Manston in Kent and many others.

This has probably already been brought up but if they cannot distribute all the flights among these runways then I wonder what is going on???

Thanks for your time and I hope that the lovely towns of Sipson, Longford and Harlington can beat these people.

Letters to residents in Bond Scheme area

Date : Monday 8th April 2009

I live in Sipson and have just received a letter from BAA about the property bond scheme, should I be doing anything about it?

No. Many residents have been worried by letters from various sources, including solicitors looking for business. There is no action that you need to take at the moment.

BAA are not expected to submit detailed plans for planning permission for at least 18 months. While these plans are being considered, the BAA bond scheme will still be open to new applications.

Some residents living in the bond area, which covers Sipson and part of Harmondsworth, have needed to move but prospective buyers have been put off by the proposed runway. (Seems they discover the BAA bond doesn't match the "generous compensation" myth.)

The BAA letter you received indicates that they are looking at ways to enable some residents to move before planning permission approval - should they ever get it.

Remember, a general election will need to take place before June 2010 and if the Conservatives gain power they have pledged that a third runway at Heathrow will NOT be built. The project will be scrapped.

Still worried? Local MP John McDonnell will be able to update Harmondsworth and Sipson residents at the HASRA AGM on 22nd April (see Events page).

There are some public meetings in the pipeline. It's hoped to have a legal advisor present to answer questions from people both inside and outside the bond scheme area.

Whatever BAA and solicitors may say in their letters, the third runway is not a done deal.

Christine Taylor, Vice Chair