The proposal to expand Heathrow Airport has met resistance from a group of individuals. They claim that expansion of a runway in west London is costly and politically undeliverable.
The protestors have met local authorities and members of parliament aiming to come up with a plan to stop the proposed expansion. They plan to highlight risks that shareholders face when millions of pounds are used to fund the project.
Their anti-Heathrow expansion campaign not only targets shareholders but the investors as well. They seek to let them know that their plans will face very strong opposition.
This resistance comes a month after the airport commission shortlisted two options for expansion. Sir Howard Davies who is the commission’s chairman is said to have recommended the expansion.
Despite the fact that the marketers had earlier stated that the issue of noise will be controlled by the new aircraft technology adopted, the protesters don’t seem convinced. They insist that a third runway would bring a lot of noise around the neighboring local communities.
Heathrow’s chief executive officer, Colin Matthews however confirmed that the findings showing the cost of adding a new runway had been exaggerated. The commission responsible for handling expansion issues in the South East is set to give its final recommendations in 2015.
In the meantime the UK airports are however consulting with the local communities, to get their views on set expansions. Despite the resistance, a poll conducted by Heathrow airport shows that in the coming elections, people living in west London are most likely to vote in an Mp who supports the expansion as compared to the one who doesn’t.
By Oliver Derek