Forum Topic

New runway at Heathrow

Just to let people know that West Ealing Neighbours' next public meeting on Tuesday 22nd January includes a debate about the pros and cons of the proposed new runway at Heathrow.  How will it affect residents, will it mean more local jobs etc? We have Lord Clive Soley and a speaker from HACAN ClearSkies speaking for and against respectively. The debate will be followed by a Q & A session. If anyone wants to object the deadline is the end of February so this is a good chance to hear the arguments and make up your own mind.The meeting is at St James Church, St James Ave in West Ealing (opposite entrance to Sainsbury's car park) and it starts at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome and more details are on our website at www.westealingneighbours.org.uk

David Highton ● 6836d9 Comments

It will certainly affect many of Ealing Borough`s residents quality of life!

Robert Darke ● 6831d

If people dont like it, then dont fly. simple as that.

Wayne Bridges ● 6831d

I guess there are many against an further expansion of our local airport, but I just hate the thought of Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt taking all our trade. SouthEast England needs every bit of help with our rapidly declining economy, despite the noise. So, let's expand and retain our share of trade. If London gets too unbearable, one could always sell up(at an enormous profit) and buy/live in say Somersat/Devon/Cornwall.

Gerry Tan ● 6831d

My recent experience is that Heathrow is the easiest to get to but the worst to get through of our airports.

Graham Weeks ● 6831d

"SouthEast England needs every bit of help with our rapidly declining economy"Not sure I agree with the last bit, but South East England also includes Stansted and Gatwick, each with only one runway and much more room for expemsion than Heathrow.  In fact the Government still claims that its policy is to build a second runway at Stansted before a third at Heathrow, but there's no sign of any real action to implement that policy. It doesn't help that BAA has a monopoly of all three airports.

Richard Jennings ● 6830d

Wonder what would have happened if London Maplin Estuary Airport had become a reality, and Heathrow Retail Park complete with a massive B & Q was now on that site.Four Runways, High Speed Rail Link to Central London,and The City?? But Fogbound for much of the Winter, or flooded. or both. Maybe isolated 'cos the Nimbies in Essex don't want the rail link??

Colin Vaughan ● 6829d

Well Boris seems to be in favour of a new Airport to the East of London. According to the Evening Standard, Boris calls Heathrow a '60s planning mistake. He might be right, but its far too late now. If it ever came to pass, Gerry, Myself, and most of the present contributers to this Forum would have long gone!!

Colin Vaughan ● 6829d

I hate to disagree but it's a void arguement. London is a more attractive place to do business than Paris or Frankfurt, or any other European city simply because it's a nicer place for very rich American Bankers to live.Until we stop speaking a variant of the Americans language our place at the top of the 'Overseas HQ' list is pretty much secure.  True we still need to woo the next generations of Superpowers (China and India) but given the rest of the trading players are here already we're leading by more than a neck.The killing joke about Heathrow expansion is that it isn't located where the action is.  The money flys in and wants to get to their HQ with the minimum of stress and time.  Given that this mostly means The City and Docklands then Boris's 'eastern' option* or Stanstead is a much better bet. With London looking set for a generational shift to the east doubly so.It's BAA who are gagging for Heathrow to expand, not for the benefit of the flying public but to turn a quick buck for themselves.* bet the gormless toff didn't think that one up himself ;)

Gavin Gilbert ● 6828d

The Eastern option is probably in hindsite the best Gavin, but it won't happen, for reasons stated in my other thread.Now I don't know if Boris thought that up for himself or not, although the statement that rejection of the Eastern was a '60s planning mistake would indicate that he has maybe done some thinking about it, who knows. It could be that other events like a recession, or a fuel crisis of enormous proportion or both will make most of the debate on this and other Forums regarding Heathrow, and indeed travel in general, totally academic anyway. Nothing ever stays the same forever in politics, life , or human activity.

Colin Vaughan ● 6828d