HEATHROW COURT JUDGMENT: UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR AREA HAS TO STOP
STOP HEATHROW EXPANSION
PRESS RELEASE
26 February 2020
For immediate use
HEATHROW COURT JUDGMENT: UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR AREA HAS TO STOP
Regardless of tomorrow’s judgment from the Court of Appeal, local campaigners in the areas most impacted by Heathrow expansion plans believe it is time for the uncertainty the areas face, to end.
Residents of Harmondsworth, Sipson and Longford, have faced having the loss of their community, including schools, places of worship and other facilities, for nearly two decades since the first third runway plans were put forward in 2002 as part of the Government’s Air Transport White Paper.
Additionally, those living in Harlington, Cranford Cross, West Drayton and south Hayes, face having their homes and community just a few meters from a newly expanded Heathrow Airport and therefore facing all the noise and air pollution, as well as traffic problems that would bring.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has the powers to cancel to the proposal and campaigners believe he might be keen to do so, given his current opposition – restated in Parliament as recent at 12 February 2020 (1) – but also because evidence shows that expanding Heathrow will expend growth from the very regions in the UK that the prime minister wants to ‘level-up’ with London and the South East (2).
The Court of Appeal will deliver its judgment on Thursday 27th February at 10am, with publication expected online afterwards (3).
Parties involved in the action, politicians from all parties and campaigners will gather outside the High Court (Strand, London) from 9am on Thursday for an ‘solidarity’ event supporting those tasking the action against the plans. (4). Politicians attending include representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Green Parties.
In recognition of the high-profile nature of the case, the judgment will be live-streamed (5).
Ahead of the ruling, Justine Bayley, from local campaign group Stop Heathrow Expansion, said:
“It is time that residents in the areas closest to Heathrow were able to get on with our lives, by removing the threat of having our community torn apart to construct a runway with extremely questionable and limited benefits to UK plc, and, as we now know, negative benefits to other regions across the UK.
“Why should thousands of people continue to have their lives disrupted when the project brings chaos to our area, but miniscule growth to the UK overall and negative growth to the very regions the Government wants to level-up?
“No-one should bear the misery this project would bring.”
ENDS
Notes:
1. Response to Question from Adam Afriyie MP, Prime Minister’s Questions, Hansard, 12 February 2020 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-02-12/debates/A4C63228-5E27-41B0-9299-E7F1ED892919/Engagements
2. Tables 9 and 11, Baggage Claim: The Regional Impact of Heathrow’s Third Runway, New Economics Foundation, 25 February 2020 https://533d67b8-cd8c-4b9c-be04-d9f1956466a9.filesusr.com/ugd/8b8ad1_4cd4c5871f1040dd8fe550d8f0884834.pdf
3. Interviews from members of the campaign group are available throughout the day, in both Harmondsworth – the village that will be mostly knocked down to make way for the runway, as well as in London. Please see contact info below to arrange.
4. Parties involved in the action are:
· The Mayor of London, London Boroughs of Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond, Wandsworth, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Greenpeace UK
· Plan B Earth, an environmental charity
· Friends of the Earth
· Heathrow Hub Ltd.
5. Live-streaming of the judgment will be available from 10am on Thursday 27th Februaryhttps://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/?fbclid=IwAR3OttS4Cj3WtozdoSZjyNFiwDARZoFlPmQwsHsptvGe0ijhD6JUWLLoBoU
For more information, contact Rob Barnstone, Campaign Coordinator, Stop Heathrow Expansion, 07806947050 or Robert.barnstone@outlook.com