Speaking up for the community The membership comprises the London Boroughs of Brent, Camden, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth, and the boroughs of Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wycombe and South Bucks. The group, which took its name from the 2 million residents of the original 12 authorities, now represents a combined population of 5 million people. Members are not anti-Heathrow but feel passionately that the Government consistently fails to either acknowledge or assess the airport's full environmental impact. The Diocese of London has conducted its own study into the proposals for expansion. You can download their detailed findings in the report below.
The Government's expansion plans The Transport Secretary also announced that he was abandoning plans to end runway alternation. This had been a major focus of the 2M campaign. The Government has also said that extra capacity on the third runway will be subject to meeting air and noise pollution standards. The Government's decision is available at www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/heathrowconsultations/heathrowdecision/
The consultation process This 2007 document comprises an assessment of environmental impacts - in particular noise and air quality. Consultation closed in February 2008. You can download the final responses from 2M members to the consultation.
The 2M position We believe the Government should commission an independent cost-benefit analysis for all expansion proposals. We do not think expanding Heathrow is consistent with the Government's climate change objectives - nor that it is fair on other sectors which have much tougher carbon emissions targets. We do not think the Government can be confident that new, cleaner, quieter aircaft will be available in sufficient numbers for air quality and noise limits to be met. Read the 2M newsletter published in 2008 setting out the boroughs' concerns about the expansion plans.
The 2M response
The Government's own environmental advisers have also queried many of the assumptions in the consultation document. Download the report 'Breaking the Holding Pattern' report from the Sustainable Development Commission ** 2M leaders have also been to Strasbourg to brief EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas on how Heathrow expansion plans would breach new nitrogen dioxide limits. You can view the 2M presentation here (pdf 569 kb) ** Proposed runway maps The top map shows current and projected flight paths for aircraft arriving at Heathrow and the bottom shows depatures.
An area guide to aircraft noise Some areas which already suffer from aircraft noise will find things getting much worse. Other communities may experience the roar of a jumbo jet overhead for the first time. The total number of flights at Heathrow could go up from the current figure of 480,000 to around 700,000 a year. Although runway alternation, where aircaft approaching from the east switch runways at 3pm, will now be retained, the January 2009 decision does abolish the Cranford agreement which currently prevents take-offs to the east from both runways. This guide was published in 2008 and pre-dates the decision to keep runway alternation. Even so it is useful as a guide to how different areas could be affected. The information provided is not definitive and should be treated with caution.
All day flights on existing runways The Group had forecast that any decision to seek maximum use of runways through 'mixed mode' operations (where each runway is used for both landings and take-offs) could in time have led to an additional 170,000 flights a year. There is still a risk that if BAA experience delays in opening the third runway they will press the Govrnment to allow an interim increase in capacity on the existing runways. Without legal force the promise to retain runway alternation may then be under pressure. The impact for many people would then be all-day flights and all-day noise. The current relief provided at 3pm when aircraft switch runways will be lost. The maps below show the likely effects on different communities if the current decison to keep runway alternation is reversed.
Hoping for a quiet half day? This is dependent on the current practice of runway alternation where planes use different runways for landings and take-offs. Find out the weekly schedules for Heathrow arrivals in 2008. Remember the current relief provided at around 3pm when aircraft switch runways will be lost if the Government goes ahead with its expansion plans. High Speed North - Rail plan for joining up Britain
The proposals would join Heathrow to this new rail network – removing the need for most domestic flights. It would link UK cities to Europe with, in many cases, a travelling time of less than four hours. The proposals have been published by 2M as part of its contribution to the growing debate on alternatives to aviation growth. You can download the full plan here
You can also download some of the more detailed workings of the report's author.
You can view the 2M evidence to the Scottish Parliament's inquiry onto high speed rail at: www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ticc/inquiries/railviews.htm 'Getting to Heathrow'- the airport as a local rail hub
All stops to Heathrow 1. These maps show the extent of existing and planned rail connections around the airport. View the maps (pdf 42) 2. These 2M maps show just what a comprehensive rail network around Heathrow could look like. View the maps (pdf 62) Contacts For media enquires to any of the 2M Group members click on the contact below.
Links Council websites
Have your say and sign up to the campaign
Sign up to the campaign to stop Heathrow expansion at www.stopheathrowexpansion.com Who to write to You could also write to the local paper using the two email addresses below: letters@wandsworthguardian.co.uk Latest news
22/06/2009 Reading joins 2M's Heathrow battle |
The 2M Group - now representing 5 million people affected by Heathrow expansion
