Consultation leaflet gives Heathrow's sales pitch

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT CONSULTATION LEAFLET, paid for by British taxpayers, contained one-sided information promoting a foreign-owned airport, Heathrow. It was sent to 1.5 million homes but didn’t tell people how they would be affected and there was no space for details of the consultation venues.  

WARNING - HEATHROW PLEDGES HAVE BEEN BROKEN MANY TIMES BEFORE

JOBS - The leaflet boasts “tens of thousands of additional local jobs by 2030”.   This does not mean people currently living near Heathrow will get any new jobs. Who will provide all the jobs?  Heathrow is looking to cut jobs and has cut the pay packages of its staff. NO EXTRA JOBS exist as a result of Terminal 5 being built.

OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER CAREER PROSPECTS Even pro-runway union Unite says that says British Airways cabin crew get “POVERTY PAY". Staff are so fed up they are taking strike action this month. Baggage Handlers (also Unite members) threatened strike action last Christmas. Airport-related jobs are too often low paid, low aspiration jobs.

Dodgy figures that distort the reality - not full and definitely not fair. 

LIES ABOUT ECONOMIC BENEFITS “Expected economic benefits to PASSENGERS and the wider economy worth up to £61 billion”.  Firstly, that supposed benefit is over 60 YEARS! Secondly, in Nov 2016 the Evening Standard revealed that a DfT report had shown that when benefits to overseas travellers and firms were excluded, British people and firms would be better off if a different option was chosen for expansion. (Gatwick). This information was not given to the full Cabinet when they discussed airport expansion.

BRIBERY – The six new domestic routes that Heathrow “proposes” may never be viable. They are promoted to persuade other parts of the UK to support Heathrow expansion, as MPs from all over the country will get a vote on the issue in Parliament. 

POLLUTION AND ROADS The leaflet ignores these. Toxic air pollution generated by airport operations and associated business is permanently damaging health. The leaflet brags about the expensive freight it handles, “more than all other UK airports combined” but this also means it causes more pollution.  Increasing freight will put more huge lorries on our roads. Yet it refuses to pay for road infrastructure or the ongoing maintenance.

HEALTH DAMAGE No amount of “insulating” or “ventilating” buildings will compensate for the impact of noise and pollution. We go outdoors. Children subjected to high levels of pollution have stunted lungs that will never recover. Recent research studies have linked pollution with a higher incidence of autism and dementia. 

DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND GREEN SPACES Heathrow admits 3,750 homes could be considered unlivable.  This will increase pressure to build more houses on green spaces, for them and the workers that will come into the region expecting to find work.

COMPENSATION Note the word "homeowners" when any payments are mentioned. Tenants will also lose their homes and finding somewhere else to live will be tough when competing with thousands of other displaced people. It is likely that airport workers will have to move away and find other work or commute. Many homeowners who are in the zones for payments have calculated that "125%" (as Heathrow likes to express their offer) is still unlikely to buy anything similar in the area. 

WHEN IS A NIGHT BAN NOT A NIGHT BAN?....When you include the word "scheduled". Most of the night flights that wake people up are "unscheduled" flights. You'll still be getting those.