Forum Topic

Heathrow expansion consultation

I'm guessing that some of you will already know, but for those that don't Heathrow are holding a number of local consultation events.The sessions will provide us with an opportunity to learn more about the proposal and meet with members of the Heathrow team. They will also have copies of the consultation response form at each event for us to complete.The nearest one to us is in Brentford. It will be held at the Holiday Inn on 6 March between 12.00 and 20:00. There will be another one at the Hounslow Civic Centre on  8 March between 12:00 20.00.

Ben Owen ● 4376d32 Comments

Daily Telegraph 6 December 2013"Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council, said: “Thousands of local families depend on Heathrow for their livelihoods and the airport plays a critical role in the local economy. Closing it should not be contemplated.” "I think we know where his parochial short-termism loyalties lie then.

Nigel Brooks ● 4373d

Why hasn't Ealing had its own consultation event particularly as it would be under the projected flightpath.Places as far apart as Putney and Windsor are having them.Why haven't Ealing Council insisted on this.They do want their residents to be properly informed about Heathrow expansion don't they?

Dave Robins ● 4373d

"Well its old then and will probably fall down on its own soon."I suppose I should have expected such a crass, woefully unfunny, comment.

Nigel Brooks ● 4373d

Well its old then and will probably fall down on its own soon.Looks like we will all have to wait until it is decided for us, I know where my money is.

Christine Daniels ● 4373d

Or, if you take one of the other options Harmondsworth village - with its beautiful 13th century church.

Nigel Brooks ● 4373d

That's daft as well. Making an out dated and inefficient airport bigger and busier is  plain daft.

Keith Iddon ● 4373d

Well go back to plan A then, Sipson it is.

Christine Daniels ● 4373d

Somewhere else would have to be levelled tho'. It's a daft idea imo.

Keith Iddon ● 4373d

To save flattening Sipson and so Gerry doesn't have too far to go when he goes on holiday.

Christine Daniels ● 4373d

How, or why, would anyone want to build an international hub airport at Northolt?

Keith Iddon ● 4373d

"Btw, have you experienced Singapore's airport at Changi? Now that is what an international airport should be like."No, glad you like it, then why deny something as good, if not better, for London just to meet 'local' demands?

Nigel Brooks ● 4373d

"...faster check-ins, minimal flight delays and a focus on the passenger rather than over-priced retail opportunities; would you be tempted?"No Nigel, unless the new airport for London was to be at say Northoht.Btw, have you experienced Singapore's airport at Changi? Now that is what an international airport should be like.

Gerry Tan ● 4373d

It is convenient but it is a selfish attitude bearing in mind local people might use it once or possibly twice a year at most( and most people won't use it at all) that those of us on or near the flight path get woken up at 5.45 most mornings and find it hard to get back to sleep so that we can be properly rested when we go to work later in the morning. Aircraft leaving or approaching an airport should not fly over hugely populated areas for a good number of reasons. Noise and pollution being the main ones.

Keith Iddon ● 4373d

The problem Gerry, and with respect, is that so many favour Heathrow for their own convenience.That said, if you had an airport further away with great transport links, faster check-ins, minimal flight delays and a focus on the passenger rather than over-priced retail opportunities; would you be tempted?

Nigel Brooks ● 4373d

I hear what you say Nigel, but Heathrow is soooo convenient - I've started from home(nr Walpole Park) and checked-in luggage for Singapore at Terminal 3 in 30mins flat! Now that's speed!

Gerry Tan ● 4373d

"It will never be a true 'world class' airport, but its the best we've got."And there lays the problem. We are used to accepting Heathrow 'for what it is' Outdated, slow and with poor integrated transport links to the rest of the country and wider Europe.A new airport would be a far better solution rather than this sad apology that is "the best we've got".

Nigel Brooks ● 4374d

I agree with you Christine, HEATHROW wins for me too. It will never be a true 'world class' airport, but its the best we've got.My family in London and I have been to a Tan Family triennial reunion in Singapore for ages and when we return to London we're ashamed to use Heathrow - its so old functioning and decades behind the main airports of Europe, America and Asia. That said, its still conveniently located - heaven help us if we had to use a new airport in deepest Kent or Warwickshire. Vaya con Dios!

Gerry Tan ● 4374d

Fair point and if that (Midlands) was the alternative being considered, with a sensible transport strategy, I'd be all for it.  However if the whole ethos of those who are not familiar with life near an airport is, "don't let that noisy monstrosity anywhere near me" (in itself outdated, as aircraft technology improves)then it won't be in the Midlands, but either stuck where it is, and too small; or marooned out on an island which is even more SE centric.I could go for your vision, which would at least keep the focus slightly on the west of London; but that's not the one on the table.  As a local I am not a fan of abandoning the (significant) economic advantages to W London only to dump the thing on the other side of town.

Gerald Cabb ● 4374d

Not at all.I have lived near to Heathrow for all of my life and am used to the noise. My point about the light bulbs, I believed that I had covered inasmuch that the inability to get the small things right does not augur well for the largest 'land grab' or expansion if you like that Heathrow has ever contemplated.As to Heathrow being best positioned, it simply isn't. We are far too 'south east centric' and a new hub airport in the Midlands with an integrated transport system would be even better than 'Boris island'.

Nigel Brooks ● 4375d

What you say flies in the face(npi) of what just about every other country  has done. If they build this extra runway, no doubt in a few years they'll want another. We should build airports so that their approaches are away from population centres. You almost make the argument for moving the airport by what you write...LHR is decades old and to expand entails massive disruption to local communities, the lives of which are already blighted by interrupted sleep, noise and pollution. Paving over a village seems a no brainer to you but you don't live there do you?

Keith Iddon ● 4375d

On the wider strategic note:1. The airport needs to be a national hub, and Heathrow is best situated for England as a whole.2. The only arguments about lack of space at Heathrow, are based on the idea that nobody in some small village should ever have to move.  There has been an airport there for decades and everyone moving in has known it.  If the interests of the country mean paving over a village, then so be it - we should do it in a civilised way, with adequate compensation and generous relocation packages, but it needs doing.3. This idea of a pleasant garden suburb instead is nonsense.  The economy of West London thrives partly because of Heathrow.  Take it out and you may well have an unemployment pit, rather than just another affluent suburb.  Rdirecting the whole energy and expansion of London to the East instead of the West would be a very shortsighted thing for Ealing residents to push for.All the arguments about lack of space for Heathrow

Gerald Cabb ● 4375d

I think your use of the light bulb issue betrays a certain bias.T5 is an expensive new build.  I'm sure you're right about 'sweating the details' and that the lights should work, but why does this make an argument for a different new build on the other side of London?  Does being in East London mean the bulbs and other details will automatically be handled better?

Gerald Cabb ● 4375d

Terribly parochial Christine.Not everyone lying to Heathrow goes to a meeting in London.It is incredibly busy as a transit 'hub' airport with connecting flights all over Europe and the UK.The transit delays at Heathrow are the worst in Europe.So, if you come in 'long haul' or even across Europe you fly into a hub with good transit links like Schiphol, CdG or Frankfurt. Not 'daft' at all, sound business sense.

Nigel Brooks ● 4375d

And relax.Choosing where a new runway is built has nothing to do with me.Why would someone who has business meeting in London fly to Schipol?  They'd be in a different country then, that really would be daft.

Christine Daniels ● 4375d

Within a few years Heathrow will be a dinosaur of the early age of jet travel.In the aviation industry it is held up worldwide as an example of where NOT to build an airport.It will be one of the last airports and the last international airport that has approaches over dense urban metropolis.It's geographic location is simply wrong and outmoded for the current and future.  It was wrong 45plus years ago and they knew it then.Consequently it will become the prime target for those who wish to subvert as  it will make the most impact should a catastrophe, accidental or deliberate occurr.As for jobs. Pure folly. Skilled and high skill jobs are vastly fewer than a decade ago and will continue to diminish as almost all are transferred to cheaper locations and the regions. Cardiff for example.Only mundane and low skill jobs will exist and with overpopulation in the region, they will be on the lowest possible rates.Heathrow works well but world class it is certainly not. Nor is any other British airport.They are poor but more to do with how parts of it operate. The queues and hopeless automation of the border controls at London's 3 airports bear testimony on a daily basis.That won't change.All the emphasis has been on retail. The passenger experience is average at LHR, Improving at Gatwick and near disgraceful at Stanstead.

Anthony Waller ● 4375d

"Heathrow wins for me every time, the infrastructure for the 3rd runway is already there, its just a matter of time before Sipson is levelled." No it isn't else they would not have to be acquiring  hectares of land to make it happen.I am sure that the residents of Sipson and the other villages blighted by the alternative proposals would be delighted at your sheer bloody selfishness."World class airport?  What kind of daft talk is that?  All I want to do is get there quickly and get on a plane, not hang around counting blown light bulbs."Not daft at all, actually considered. If one puts it into a global context then anything that falls below a market-leading standard such as delays merely steer the business traveller (which is what keeps Heathrow viable rather than hordes of holidaymakers) to alternatives such as Schiphol , CDG or Frankfurt.As to delays; the delays flying into Heathrow are the worst in Europe and passengers face greater transit delays at Heathrow than any other major airport in Europe. (source Aviation News January 2013).As to light-bulbs. it's called "sweating the details". If you can't get something as simple as changing the light-bulbs right what hope to deliver the 'world-class' (see what this means by reading above) facility that London deserves.

Nigel Brooks ● 4375d

Was only joking Nigel.I flew from Heathrow last year, a short hassle free train ride and I was there ready to check in.  I also flew from Gatwick, a long train journey, think it was over 30 quid for the tickets on the joke called the Gatwick Express. a couple of minutes quicker than whatever bumpkin train company serves that part of the world.  A long walk to the check in place and then hang around doing nothing but look at a car park until my plane was ready.Coming back was even worse, stress from the station bloke as the dozy train people hadn't issued the right tickets, half hour wait for the train to go, tube from Victoria to Ealing.  Journey full of hassle and bother.  Heathrow wins for me every time, the infrastructure for the 3rd runway is already there, its just a matter of time before Sipson is levelled. World class airport?  What kind of daft talk is that?  All I want to do is get there quickly and get on a plane, not hang around counting blown light bulbs.

Christine Daniels ● 4375d

Not at all.Have you travelled from that hell-hole recently? Even the supposedly 'world-class' Terminal 5 is a dingy place as the architect forgot to allow for a system where the hundreds of blown light bulbs could be changed without abseiling electricians!A world-class city deserves a world-class airport with fully integrated transport links and the ability to operate 24/7/365.Neither of these will ever become reality at Heathrow.Too many vested interests though from the present incumbents and their lobbyists for a 'vision of the future' ever to become reality.

Nigel Brooks ● 4375d

"Shame we haven't got the will or vision to close the damned place, build a world-class airport in the Thames estuary and convert Heathrow into a wonderful new garden suburb of this great city. "Is that you Boris? :-)

Christine Daniels ● 4375d

As I understand it, the 'consultation' is little more than a "which Heathrow third runway option do you refer?"Shame we haven't got the will or vision to close the damned place, build a world-class airport in the Thames estuary and convert Heathrow into a wonderful new garden suburb of this great city.

Nigel Brooks ● 4376d

I should have added that there's too much democracy anyway.

Gerry Tan ● 4376d

If VTOL could be used for civil passenger aircraft the public would have airports any where there's free space and there'd be little democratic consultation.

Gerry Tan ● 4376d