Residents flocked in their hundreds to two public meetings held by local MP John McDonnell last week to voice their concerns about the proposed third runway at Heathrow. (1)

At a meeting held at Harlington Baptist Church Hall on Thursday 8 December, around a hundred locals spoke about the threat to Harlington that a new runway would bring, such as being situated at the end of the runway, bringing unbearable new noise levels to the village, whilst around 200 West Drayton residents packed the main hall at Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre on Friday 9 December. At this meeting the message from local residents concerned increased traffic congestion and the toxic pollution levels that would result from the area being brought closer to the border of the expanded airport, with the new boundary just 200 metres from some West Drayton residents.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said:

“The message from these public meetings couldn’t be clearer: local residents are going to fight this runway all the way. A third runway at Heathrow is undeliverable and I believe we will stop it from ever being built.

“I’m also fairly certain that the legal action from a coalition of local authorities will be successful. The decision by this Government to build a third runway was shameful and remains a huge threat to local residents who face losing their homes, schools, community centre and village life. And when you add in the air pollution, noise and climate change concerns then it becomes even more obvious that this runway makes no sense.”

Jackie Clark-Basten, Chair of Stop Heathrow Expansion, who spoke at the meeting, said: “Heathrow expansion would not just have a devastating effect on Harmondsworth, Longford and Sipson. As we heard at the two public meetings, the impact is far greater, bringing new noise misery for residents of Harlington as well as toxic air pollution levels for West Drayton residents and a traffic nightmare for all local areas. I am confident that this runway will never be cleared for take-off.”

More public meetings are expected in Hayes in January.