The big issues of my week

My week has been dominated by Heathrow, its proposed third runway, and helping residents “under threat”.

Now I love planes, and the romance, and glamour of flying; when my sons were young, we would often park at the Visitor’s Centre and watch planes take off and land, and marvel at their power, size, ability, and elegance.

And I am a great fan of Heathrow, and the value it brings to people in the local economy; many of my friends and neighbours work there.

But the airport is a massive machine, with oodles of money, to throw on a slick, all singing, all dancing, “yes to the third runway” campaign, and that can easily beguile us.

So we have to be on our mettle to understand the effect of an extra 260,000 “flights” on life locally.

And there is also the issue of the current “unfair” operations at Heathrow which result in a disproportionate amount of its existing 480,000 “flights” coming in to land over Windsor. This is otherwise referred to, slightly misleadingly, as the “Cranford Agreement”.

Yes, that’s a total of 740,000 air traffic movements proposed for the skies over Heathrow.

It’s a big issue, so we will have to respond proportionately, but what can you and I do?

And did I mention local residents under threat? Read on to find out more.

 

Heathrow’s proposed third runway

There is so much information, and nuance, associated with this huge development project, with a 54% increase in flights, and up to a 100% increase in passenger numbers, that will affect the health and wellbeing of many, and the bonuses of a few.

This is a project so large that it will dominate not just Windsor, but much of the South East for decades to come – it’s not a matter to be taken lightly.

 

My initial conclusions on the proposed third runway

I am a huge fan of Heathrow, but in relation to a new runway, all of the information I have seen to date leads me to think that the Third Runway will be a disaster for the lives, health, & well being of residents living in the Royal Borough, and around Heathrow – that’s millions of people in 20 councils!

So, collectively and individually, we need to respond in a big way.

A social disaster?

According to Heathrow’s publicised plans;

• The following towns will cease to exist; Sipson, Longford, much of Harmondsworth.
• Colnbrook, and possibly parts of Langley, would be rendered uninhabitable, as the Third Runway would extend all the way to Colnbrook; Noise will increase; House prices are likely to collapse.
• Planes would fly much lower (down to 300ft lower) over Datchet, Wraysbury, Windsor, and even Eton
• Steepened aircraft “glide in” angles are likely to result in a great surge in peak noise as planes “break sharply”, heavily reversing their engines, and with increased noise from turbulence and flap movements at low level, all closer to the ground
• The A4, and parts of the M25, will become a tunnel under Heathrow, as the Airport footprint balloons outwards
• Hotels, local businesses, and houses long the A4 would be demolished – I wonder where developers will want to rebuild them, after all we will need MORE hotels, not less?
• The M25 would be widened to a monstrous 16-lane motorway – more traffic, more pollution, more noise, less land, increased flooding…
• 120,000 new homes will need to be developed, many in greener areas like Windsor, Maidenhead, and the Royal Borough, to house the new workers
• 54% more flights would use the airport i.e. 260,000 more aircraft movements, much of which could come in over mainly Windsor & the Royal Borough – see the Cranford agreement below
• Up to 100% increase in passenger numbers with potentially a greater proportion of flights in wide body aircraft, and super jumbos like the A380
• Infrastructure and roads will stressed to breaking point

 

And there’s more

There is so much more to say, much of it technical, so I will ask RBWM officers, and also WWRA Aviation specialists (Mike Sullivan & John Holdstock), to prepare some more detailed information for you later this autumn.

The effect on residents’ health

Living in much of the Royal Borough would become unbearable, especially during the summer, just from the noise alone with an expanded number of aircraft flying at lower levels, not to mention the pollution.

And then there is the impact of the hike in traffic volumes taking passengers, freight, and supplies to and from the extra 260,000 flights; construction traffic for new housing; vehicles from the new houses to be built locally.

Imagine what impact that will have on traffic in Windsor. Many of our roads will become impassable, like London, clogged with belching cars, lorries, and vans.

The effect on the health of the residents will be nothing short of deadly;  according to the NHS, and a recent BMJ article, we will see high levels of strokes, & heart diseases, not to mention stress, anxiety, and depression.

Asthma related illness and deaths are also likely to increase.

Why are Heathrow treating Royal Borough residents unfairly? (The Cranford Agreement)

There is one further issue, and a major issue, which could help Windsorians now.

A disproportionate number of planes land over Windsor. Needless to say this increases noise, pollution, and poor health in the Royal Borough.

Initially this was due to an unofficial agreement called the Cranford Agreement.

However that was scrapped by the Coalition Government in 2009, and since then Heathrow has been allowed to allow take offs and landings equally over both runways, in both directions, including Cranford. But Heathrow continue to direct flights unequally over Windsor.

Heathrow can improve this unfair situation, as they have the freedom and means to, but management seems to be dragging its feet to act equitably for residents. As a consequence, planes still do not take off over Cranford, which results in more planes flying in low over Windsor than is equitable.

Heathrow should have improved their taxi ways two years ago, but they have failed to live up to their promises to do so by 2013.

So, Windsorians have suffered a year or more of unnecessary noise, and will continue to suffer if Heathrow don’t appeal the planning application belatedly submitted this summer, and rejected by Hillingdon Council.

The B I G questions

But the really BIG questions are perhaps, what can we do, and what are you willing to do to safeguard your future and your children’s future?

I’d value your thoughts on this.

I will continue to do what I can;

• Working through the RBWM and with its Councillors
• Establish links with other Councils through a wider network
• Work with the WWRA’s formidable Aviation team of Mike Sullivan & John Holdstock – read what the WWRA have said

But given the might of the Heathrow machine, we will need you to take action as well.

I will report back in future blogs, and in future letters to the press.

 

Residents under threat

I have also been trying to help groups of residents in the ward with issues that threaten them – I want to empower residents to live together well, and to “develop a better Windsor, better for all regardless of age, income or circumstance.”

 

Help us help you

I, along with my other Independent colleagues, will continue to do our best within the limitations of our role, but the workers are few.

So come and help us help you.

To volunteer email me cllr.dacosta@rbwm.gov.uk

Have a great week.

Wisdom

Wisdom Da Costa

Councillor for Clewer North Ward

Last Council Blog

Click here to read Wisdom’s last blog, “Council Blog – Cllr Wisdom Da Costa – 23 August 2014“

 

References

Evening Standard article on the proposed Third Runway and the M25 – click here to read more 

British Medical Journal article entitled, “Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow airport in London: small area study” – click here to read more

NHS Choices artitcle, “Aircraft noise linked with stroke and heart problems” – click here to read more

 

Disclaimer

The views of the writer does not necessarily reflect the views of the WWRA, and no liability can be accepted for any damage caused by the contents of this article, or its publication on the WWRA website, or it’s use by others.