In a letter to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin
Councillors from the Thamesfield Ward in Putney, which stretches along from the Riverside Quarter through the High Street and then down the Lower Richmond Road, have written to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to demand that affected Putney residents should get free secondary glazing in their homes if Heathrow does get an extra runway and operates even more early-morning flights.
The letter to him from Councillors Jim Maddan, Rosemary Torrington and Mike Ryder says:
“As councillors for the Thamesfield Ward in Putney we are very concerned at the suggestions in the report from the Davies Commission, charged with considering airport expansion in the South-east of England, that Heathrow should get a third runway and MORE early morning flights. Residents in our area already suffer considerably from the noise of planes going over their houses as early as 4am every day, which shatters their sleep and is a real health hazard. If Heathrow does operate more night and early morning flights, which will increase the profits of the airport’s operators, we believe you should demand that Heathrow pays for affected residents in Putney to have free secondary glazing in their homes to prevent noise and protect their sleep and their health. We look forward to hearing your views”.
Councillor Torrington in particular has been a regular campaigner against aircraft noise. This Christmnas she noted that the last plane flew over her house at 11.40pm on December 23 and then the first one on Christmas Eve morning was just before 4am. She commented:
“Morning after morning I get woken up as early as 4am by planes, and it’s impossible to get back to sleep again. This really is affecting people’s health, and it’s totally unacceptable environmentally as well. These early-morning flights are just operated to increase Heathrow’s profits, at the expense of Putney residents’ health and the enjoyment of their homes. Mr McLoughlin really does need to do something.”
December 30, 2013