Heathrow expansion 'would mean 18 hours of noise a day'

A CAMPAIGN has been launched against plans for the "back-door" expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Environmentalists and local councils claim ministers might back off from building a third runway but give the go-ahead to more frequent landings on existing runways instead.

They say this could mean families living beneath the path of incoming planes would endure noise for 18 hours a day rather than nine as at present.

The Government claims there would be an extra 60,000 flights a year, up from 480,000.

Protesters calculate that if each runway was used to full capacity it could mean an extra 170,000 flights.

John Stewart, of anti-expansion pressure group HacanClearskies, said: "We're very worried about this. It will have a real impact on those under the flightpath, and I imagine if the Government says this is what they will do there will be an even bigger outcry than against the third runway."

Edward Lister, leader of Wandsworth council, said: "With all the attention on the potential for a third runway there is a risk ministers will try and get away with incremental expansion on the existing runways.

"The Government hopes to add another 60,000 flights a year, but there is no guarantee that this figure is anything like the full potential capacity of a two-runway airport. At Gatwick a single runway which is used for landings and take-offs can accommodate 50 movements an hour for much of the day. If you applied this to Heathrow it could lead to an additional 170,000 movements a year."

Mr Lister said using the two runways in full would involve a non-stop stream of aircraft approaching from the east all day. "For many Londoners this 'maximum use' policy will be worse than a third runway," he said. "We fear this kind of steady expansion by stealth is just what the Government has in mind.

"I'm sure ministers will say they have no plans for extra growth at this level, but people in south and west London have had too many broken promises on Heathrow to believe any expansion will be the last." He said the 2M Group of councils opposing expansion would urge all London MPs to back their stance.

A Department of Transport spokesman said: "Our consultation last year clearly set out an option for using Heathrow's two runways for both take-offs and landings to provide extra capacity.

"The consultation made clear this could provide for up to 60,000 extra flights a year. This is an estimate of maximum throughput, based on expert advice. Suggestions this number could be as many as 170,000 are nonsense.

"The safety requirement for separation distances between parallel streams of arriving and departing aircraft on two runways at Heathrow do not allow for that. The comparison with Gatwick's single runway is false."

He said the Government aimed to decide on the future development of Heathrow by the end of the year.