Protestors support legal fight over airports

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as landmark case starts in the High Court

Protestors gathered outside the High Court this morning (Monday) to voice their support for the first of two legal challenges this week to the Government's airport policies.

The High Court is now hearing a challenge to Government plans for new runways at Heathrow and Stansted airports. The challenge is being led by Wandsworth and Hillingdon councils and also includes Heathrow Association for Control of Aircraft Noise and Stop Stansted Expansion.

Campaigners argue that in the case of Heathrow the public were denied the opportunity to comment on a proposal introduced in the Government's airports white paper to end the traditional practice of runway alternation. This gives residents in west London some relief in the middle of the afternoon when aircraft switch runways for landings.

The Department for Transport admits that by changing to 'mixed mode' operations in advance of the third runway being built annual capacity at the airport could go up from 480,000 movements a year to 551,000.

The case, which is being heard almost one year to the day that the white paper was published, is expected to last six days with a further hearing in the new year.

A second legal challenge will begin tomorrow (Tuesday) in a separate hearing when lawyers acting for Wandsworth and Richmond Councils will attempt to overturn the Government's consultation on changes to night flight limits at Heathrow.

That judicial review is expected to last one day. The two councils will seek to expose Government claims that it is prevented by the EU from amending current noise classifications for aircraft - even though it has admitted that the engine noise data, on which its night noise scheme is based, is faulty.

Wandsworth Council leader Edward Lister said: "The Department for Transport and the aviation industry want to build more runways and allow more planes to fly at night. Wandsworth Council and its allies are just trying to speak up for the ordinary citizen whose views are being overlooked.

"The history of Heathrow expansion is littered with broken promises. It is only through the courts that ordinary people can get some protection. The Government seems mesmerized by the industry's case for expansion - we are motivated by the environmental case for restraint."

                                                     

December 13, 2004