Fresh Delay for end to Runway Alternation Plan

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Consultation postponed for the second time

Transport department officials have confirmed that consultation on the abandonment of runway alteration at Heathrow have been postponed for a second time.

Ministers had originally intended to announce their plans in March this year. This was subsequently put back to October. Now it is thought any attempt to squeeze in extra capacity on existing runways could be timed to coincide with publication of plans for a third Heathrow runway.

Currently planes land on one runway and take off from the other. The pattern is reversed at 3pm each today to give communities under the flightpath some relief from daytime noise.

By switching to a 'mixed mode' operation airlines would be able to use the two runways in parallel for both landings and take offs.

The council has repeatedly warned that it would strongly oppose any attempt to relax the current controls. Without the benefit of runway alternation residents could be exposed to wall-to-wall noise throughout the day.

Council leader Edward Lister said, "The loss of runway alternation would have a devastating impact on the local environment and the quality of life of people affected by aircraft noise.

"It is all part of the Government's policy of allowing unchecked expansion at Heathrow. This may be what the airlines want but it ignores the consequences for the two million people who live under the Heathrow flightpath.

"Wandsworth is already among a group of boroughs tackling the Government in the High Court on noise from night flights. It may be that our tough stance on a related issue is having the effect of forcing ministers to think twice before imposing more environmental mayhem on residents."

Transport department officials have also confirmed that a public inquiry would be required if any new capacity proposals breached the cap of 480,000 movements a year imposed as part of the Terminal Five planning permission.

Ending runway alternation could take this figure up to 515,000 - rising to 650,000 if a third runway were approved. If both runway alternation were ended and a third runway built the number of flights each year at Heathrow would rise to more than 700,000.

                                                    

October 10, 2006