Brent Deserves A Say On Heathrow - Teather

10.21.22am GMT Thu 6th Mar 2008

Sarah Teather is campaigning along side her constituents

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather has contributed to the consultation on the Government's Heathrow expansion plans, on behalf of people in Brent who have been ignored by the Government.

Although parts of Brent lie directly under the planned new flight paths, Liberal Democrat questioning in the House of Commons has revealed that not a single Brent resident received one of almost 220,000 consultation papers despatched.

Consultation papers were only sent to residents in Bracknell Forest, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond upon Thames, Runnymede, Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne, Wandsworth and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Under the Labour Government's plans the number of flights from Heathrow could be doubled to 800,000 per year, making a mockery of any attempts to tackle climate change. Expanding the airport further will also cause serious noise problems for residents across London.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"Brent residents will be affected by the Heathrow expansion just like residents in any other borough lying directly beneath the new flight paths. It shows utter cowardice on the Government's part not to have asked people in Brent for their views.

"If the Heathrow expansion goes ahead 700 London families will lose their homes and thousands more will come under the flight path for the first time. Residents in Brent don't want to put up with the misery and stress of daily flights passing overhead.

"The Government just don't seem to recognise or care about the catastrophic environmental impact of their plans. Heathrow expansion is precisely the wrong way to go about protecting our planet for future generations.

"Given the seriousness of these proposals it is deeply shocking that the Labour Government did not invite local Brent residents to have their say. Many of my constituents have signed petitions and attended demonstrations against the proposed expansion and I was pleased to pass on their anger and concern to the Government."

Related Links:

Heathrow consultation papers.

Brent Friends of the Earth.