CHATR Group Slam Heathrow Third Runway Consultation

Join Ruth Cadbury MP in describing it as a 'sham' and provoking 'consultation fatigue'

A recent protest by CHATR

Anti airport expansion campaigners in Chiswick (CHATR) have backed Ruth Cadbury MP who has slammed Heathrow’s consultation on the controversial Third Runway as "a sham".

And the group claimed that the "long-winded and complicated consultation process" can only be interpreted as a distraction and a means of deterring residents with “consultation fatigue.”

The consultation by the airport authority runs until 28 March, but Brentford & Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury said there was so little detail available that there was no point in consulting now.

“What is clear in the consultation is what is not clear” she said in the debate. “There is no clarity about the final approach paths that matter so much to our communities that are close to the airport. Furthermore there is no clarity on the traffic impacts and how they will be dealt with, about the respite periods, the congestion charge, nor how the runway and the transport infrastructure will be paid for.

CHATR in Chiswick said : "The Government is planning to hold a vote on Heathrow in the first half of this year and yet another ‘consultation’ has been released, which once again, has no information for residents who will be affected by the new flightpaths and flightpath changes. We urge residents to object to the way the consultation is being carried out.

"It is difficult for residents to comment about this ‘first stage’ when there is no statement eg of proposed flight paths, and therefore no opportunity to comment on them. This is the aspect with the greatest impact on Chiswick.

"It is already clear from officially produced noise maps that Chiswick will have significantly increased and highly disruptive aircraft noise if the new flight paths are organised, as expected, to minimise the total number of people affected.

"The introduction of this long-winded and complicated consultation process can only be interpreted as a distraction and a means of deterring residents with “consultation fatigue” from responding effectively."

CHATR will be working with the Bedford Park Society to develop guidance on how residents might respond to the different stages and in the meanwhile urged residents to write directly to the Department of Transport to express their views on what they described as "the undemocratic and uninformative consultation process which is nothing more than a sham."

There are over drop-in consultation events taking place,but none of them are in Chiswick.

FELTHAM; Tuesday 6 February, 12pm-8pm, St Giles Hotel Heathrow, Hounslow Road, Feltham TW14 9AD

BRENTFORD ;Tuesday 27 February, 12pm-8pm, Holiday Inn Brentford Lock, Commerce Road, Brentford TW8 8GA

The Government closed its consultation last December. CHATR (Chiswick against Third Runway) lodged its objection following the publication of new information reinforcing the negative environmental impact on west London, particularly on air pollution levels, and revised figures putting Gatwick ahead in terms of the economic benefits.

Officially produced noise maps show that Chiswick will have significantly increased and highly disruptive aircraft noise if the new flight paths are organised, as expected, to minimise the total number of people affected.

Airport Watch has advised that there will be new flight path directly over Chiswick with many feeder routes as planes turn onto the new glide path to approach the runway. Planes will be at an estimated 2,000 feet only with a noise of 70-90 decibels, which is significantly above any levels currently experienced. This would be similar to the noise disturbance currently experienced in places like Richmond or Twickenham.

email chatr@mail.com

February 2, 2018