Release Date: 22/08/2008
Richmond Council has praised the European Union for its stance against the expansion of Heathrow airport.
This week, the union warned that plans for a third runway will “significantly breach air pollution guidelines”.
The European commissioner for the environment, Stavros Dimas, added that an expanded Heathrow will lead to the airport missing nitrogen oxide targets set by the EU for 2015, which is the latest possible date for guidelines to be met.
Heathrow airport is already breaching UK and EU legal limits for levels of nitrogen dioxide.
Richmond Council’s Leader, Cllr Serge Lourie, said:
“We are hugely supportive of the European Union’s warning against a third runway at Heathrow airport. This is yet another voice joining the chorus against the expansion.
“Local authorities and residents are overwhelmingly united in their opposition to a third runway and to the extra pollution and noise this would create. The government should listen to this clear message, I hope that the EU’s intervention will finally convince ministers to do so”.
Richmond Council has been protesting against plans for a third runway since they were unveiled in November last year.
If approved, flights to the new third runway would pass close to Barnes and Kew, increasing the number of flights at Heathrow from 480,000 a year to more than 702,000 and resulting in greater air pollution and noise misery for the borough’s residents.
The Council’s position is shared by other local authorities including Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Lambeth, Hillingdon and also the Mayor of London.
The government has delayed its recommendation on a third runway until the end of the year while it analyses feedback from over 70,000 individuals and organisations consulted on the expansion.