Lib Dem Jon Ball Slams Heathrow Expansion at Acton Meeting

11.55.00pm GMT Mon 11th Feb 2008

Lib Dem Jon Ball with HACAN Chair John Stewart in Acton

At a public meeting today to discuss Heathrow expansion at St. Mary's Church Hall, Acton, Lib Dem Ealing & Acton parliamentary campaigner criticised the government for the environmental disaster Heathrow expansion would bring to the area.

The meeting heard speakers from the three major political parties as well as the Chair of lobbying group HACAN ClearSkies, Ealing Aircraft Noise Action Group and Friends of the Earth. Figures show that if the new runway were built, the number of planes coming directly over Acton would increase hugely causing great disturbance and air pollution to residents. All the speakers were broadly against the current expansion proposals, with the exception of former Labour MP for Acton, Lord Soley, who claimed that expansion was needed to stop Heathrow declining and that polls showed the majority of local people were in favour.

Jon Ball said, "The claimed economic case for expansion is bogus because the demand for air travel is based on cheap flights; they're cheap because there is no taxation on aviation fuel, which gives air a massive advantage over more environmentally friendly forms of transport."

Jon added, "Ealing Liberal Democrats are completely opposed to Heathrow expansion. We collected a petition of over a thousand signatures against expansion. In contrast to the other major parties, we're also united nationally on this - we have national Lib Dem policy against Heathrow expansion. By contrast, the consultation issued by the Labour government is seriously biased in favour of expansion. The Conservatives have yet to agree a view on the issue nationally.

Heathrow is operating at full capacity - in fact over agreed limits on flight numbers and night flights. Lord Soley's argument that there is a choice between expansion or decline is not borne out by the facts."

Jon concluded, "Expansion is not needed - there isn't the capacity in terms of the M4, M25, the Picadilly Line or national rail to support more passengers anyway, and we can't afford the environmental damage in terms of noise, local pollution and climate change. Ealing Council should be campaigning hard against expansion and not just relying on the 2M Group of local authorities."

Lib Dem Councillors Harvey Rose and Gary Malcolm also attended, with Harvey also addressing the meeting.

Jon Ball will also be speaking on the Heathrow expansion issue at Ealing Aircraft Noise Action Group's public meeting on Monday 18 February, 7.30-9.30pm in the Queens Hall, Ealing Town Hall, New Broadway, Ealing.