Protest over third Heathrow runway


Campaigners have protested at Parliament Square

Protesters fighting the building of a third runway at Heathrow Airport are travelling the route of the expected flight path, to warn residents about the plans.
An open top bus carrying campaigners, MPs and local politicians is driving from London's West End through areas which could be affected by the scheme, to Windsor in Berkshire.

The government has proposed a third, short, runway at the west London airport.

The plan is one of a number being considered to increase capacity at airports across the country, to deal with a predicted increase in passengers in coming years.

Red alert

Angry that the government has not clarified the route of the new flight path, campaigners commissioned a professional pilot to draw up their own detailed map.

They say homes in Heston, Brentford, north Chiswick, Hammersmith and Kensington in west London and Datchet and parts of Maidenhead and Windsor in Berkshire will be affected.

Anti-noise group Hacan ClearSkies chairman John Stewart said: "The department (for transport) has only admitted that 150,000 people will be affected by the new flight path.

"Many of these people could have a plane flying over their home every 90 seconds.

"We hope this bus ride will put people on red alert."

A final decision on where new runways will be built is expected in spring 2003.


 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2363669.stm