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HEATHROW Airport says it is reviewing its facilities in a bid to make the site more efficient to reduce its impact on the environment and communities – but a campaign group fear it is a back door route to expansion.
Plans for a third runway at the site have been paused as a result of the covid pandemic, with the airport considering its options as a result of changes to the aviation industry since 2020.
But it is working on ways to improve passenger flow, filling empty seats and encouraging larger aircraft to use the airport.
Despite this, it says it is committed to offering neighbours noise respite which would include a proposal to allow runway alternation during easterly operations.
Campaign group No 3rd Runway Coalition picked up on comments made by Heathrow’s CEO, Thomas Woldbye, who told the Press Association a revised strategy for the future of the site would be published soon. This would include expansion plans and increasing capacity by alternative methods.
“We need to not only focus on the third runway of course – which needs to be updated so we have the right facts for that decision, we’re going to make that a reality in the right way – but also what kind of capacity can we create within the current boundaries of Heathrow to make sure that we can serve our passengers as best as possible,” he said.
No 3rd Runway Coalition said his comments suggest the airport will increase its capacity based on a two-runway airport, and see planes arriving and departing on the same runway. They estimate this will lead to an additional 60,000 aircraft movements per year, taking the limit from its current cap of 480,000 to 540,000.
Campaigners believe that it would make it more difficult for a future government to deny an increase in annual cap of flight numbers if necessary infrastructure is already in place.
Paul McGuinness, Chair No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “Heathrow is now concentrating on ‘what kind of capacity can we create until we get to a third runway’, according to the airport’s new CEO.
“Yet Heathrow is already the world’s most highly disruptive airport, by dint of its geographical location at the heart of the UK’s most densely packed residential region.
“Communities around the Airport will rightly oppose any kind of expansion at Heathrow which leads to a deterioration in their quality of life. So any expansion is problematic. And not just for those who will be adversely impacted by yet more air traffic overhead.
“Because, as the Department of Transport recognised when examining a third runway there, any growth at Heathrow will draw flights away from other airports, with particularly negative impacts for the UK’s regions.”
However, a Heathrow spokesperson said: “As soon as we can give local communities more information about plans for a third runway we will.
“In the meantime, we continue with our work to reduce noise nuisance, improve air quality and ensure our neighbours can make the most of the unrivalled career opportunities available to those who live near to the country’s largest single site of employment.”
