MP Leads March Against Third Runway
Ann
Keen calls for a united stand against Heathrow expansion
Local
MP Ann Keen led the march on Saturday against a third runway as she joined
Councillors and hundreds of local people as they walked though the areas
that would be affected by another runway.
The march, organised by Friends of the Earth, HACAN and the No 3rd Runway Group, marked the route of the runway starting at Harlington and ended approximately 2 miles away Harmondsworth.
Last
chance to sign petition against Heathrow expansion
The march ended with a rally at which Ann Keen was the first speaker.
She reiterated the importance of the community coming together against
a third runway saying �It was important for local people that we all stood
together to show our opposition to a third runway. We must make a united
stand and show the Department of Transport that we are not prepared to
allow our lives to be further disrupted by a third runway.�
�The economy in are area does benefit thanks to Heathrow�s success, but
we suffer greatly as a result of the environmental impact of the airport
on every-day lives. At all levels the area has reached the edge of its
ability to sustain aircraft capacity. School children have difficulty
learning and taking exams as planes fly low over head, resident�s sleep
is disturbed, damage is done to the local environment and the community�s
daily life is disrupted.�
�Saturday
showed that if the community works together a great deal can be achieved
and hope this work will continue. Finally I would like to thank the organisers
and the police for all their hard work in ensuring the day was a success.�
Ministers will decide later this year whether to give the go ahead to
a third runway at Heathrow. The Government's latest consultation on runway
proposals for the South East, which now includes Gatwick, ends on June
30.
Councils at the forefront of efforts to resist expansion at Heathrow include
Wandsworth, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond. Cllr Edward Lister leader
of Wandsworth Council said that they would continue to work with other
councils to present the environmental arguments in the clearest possible
way "The industry wants what's good for the industry. It's our job
as local authorities to speak up for our residents whose quality of life
is at risk."
Meanwhile
Tony Arbour, Hounslow�s GLA member condemned the Labour party for saying
that there may be circumstances in which they would permit a third runway
and accept night flights at Heathrow. He said, "Their disgraceful
statements represent a betrayal of the thousands of local residents who
have campaigned against these proposals."
June 10, 2003
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