Future Heathrow response to 'Make a NOise' protest

30.05.08

Responding to the Make a NOise protest march, Lord Soley, Campaign Director of Future Heathrow, said:

“There is no doubting the strong views that some people hold against Heathrow’s expansion. However, opinion polls continue to show that most local people support a third runway at Heathrow. Local people know that the airport is vital to the local economy and supports jobs and business.

“A third runway will only go ahead within environmental limits on noise and air quality. Airlines will only be able to fly more planes from Heathrow if they buy cleaner and quieter aircraft.”

An opinion poll conducted by the independent polling company Populus asked more than one thousand people who live in the 12 local authorities around Heathrow their views on expanding Heathrow by adding a third runway or ending runway alternation. 50% of those polled supported the building of a third runway, compared to just 30% who were opposed. Support was even stronger for the introduction of ‘mixed mode’ which would increase the capacity of the existing runways, with 56% of residents in support, and just 23% opposed. By more than 2 to 1 people said that for their family, their community and the country the advantages of Heathrow outweigh the disadvantages.

Notes to editors:

1. Lord Clive Soley is available for interview. Call 07785 250456 or 020 8745 7224.

2. Full polling information is attached. Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,203 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 7th and 17th September 2007. Interviews were conducted across the 12 local authority areas that comprise the 2M Group. These local authority areas were: Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond, Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne, Wandsworth, Windsor and Maidenhead. Quotas were set to ensure that the sample was representative of the 12 local authority areas, age, gender, and socio-economic group. The results have been weighted to be representative of all adults across the 2M Group area. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For more details go to www.populuslimited.com

3. Mixed mode involves using both runways for arriving and departing aircraft simultaneously in the same way as at single runway airports like Gatwick and Stansted. Heathrow currently uses one runway for arrivals and the other for departures. Mixed mode could potentially deliver an extra 15% runway capacity at Heathrow by around 2015, allowing up to 540,000 flights per year, compared with today's limit of 480,000.

4. Members of Future Heathrow include Amicus, ATAG, BAA, BALPA, BAR UK, BATA, bmi, British Airways, Boeing UK, CBI, Destination Heathrow, GMB, IATA, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Airline Operators Committee (Heathrow), London First, Thames Valley Economic Partnership, TUC, TGWU, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and West London Business.

POPULUS/FUTURE HEATHROW POLL - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,203 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 7^th and 17^th September 2007. Interviews were conducted across the 12 local authority areas that comprise the 2M Group. These local authority areas were: Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond, Slough, South Bucks, Spelthorne, Wandsworth, Windsor and Maidenhead. Quotas were set to ensure that the sample was representative of the 12 local authority areas, age, gender, and SEG. The results have been weighted to be representative of all adults across the 2M Group area. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For more details go to www.populuslimited.com

1. Local population who work at Heathrow.

I am going to read a number of statements relating to Heathrow. For each, please say whether the statement applies or does not apply to you:

	Applies
I work at Heathrow	5%
A member of my family works at Heathrow	11%
I have friends who work at Heathrow	28%

(30% either work at the airport or have friends or family who work at Heathrow)

2. Local population who take flights from Heathrow.

How often do you use Heathrow to fly to, or arrive from, another destination?

More then ten times a year	5%
Between 6 and 10 times a year	6%
Between 3 or 5 times a year	15%
Once or twice a year	37%
Less often than that	20%
Never	16%

3. Priorities for local people.

I am going to read out a number of issues affecting the area that you live in that you may be concerned about. Please say which of the issues concerns you most:

Crime and anti-social behaviour	36%
Road traffic congestion	19%
Council tax levels	16%
Aircraft noise	12%
Litter	8%
Other	1%

4. Benefits v disadvantages of Heathrow

How far do you agree with the following statements about Heathrow?

(a) For me and my family, the benefits of Heathrow generally outweigh the disadvantages

Strongly agree or somewhat agree	53%
Strongly agree	25%
Somewhat agree	29%
Neither agree nor disagree	19%
Somewhat disagree	13%
Strongly disagree	12%
Strongly disagree or somewhat disagree	25%

(b) For my local community, the benefits of Heathrow generally outweigh the disadvantages

Strongly agree or somewhat agree	54%
Strongly agree	22%
Somewhat agree	31%
Neither agree nor disagree	18%
Somewhat disagree	13%
Strongly disagree	11%
Strongly disagree or somewhat disagree	24%

Strongly agree or somewhat agree	63%
Strongly agree	28%
Somewhat agree	35%
Neither agree nor disagree	13%
Somewhat disagree	11%
Strongly disagree	11%
Strongly disagree or somewhat disagree	22%

5. Support for a third runway.

There are currently two runways at Heathrow. The Government has agreed to support the building of a shorter, third runway at some point between 2015 and 2020, provided that this can be done within stringent environmental limits on noise pollution, air quality, and provided that public transport connections to the airport are improved. Would you strongly support, somewhat support, neither support nor oppose, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the building of a third runway at Heathrow?

Strongly support or somewhat support	50%
Strongly support	21%
Somewhat support	29%
Neither support nor oppose	17%
Somewhat oppose	9%
Strongly oppose	21%
Strongly oppose or somewhat oppose	30%

6. Support for mixed mode.

Heathrow generally uses one of its two existing runways for departures and the other runway for arrivals in order to minimise noise for local communities. The Government has suggested that Heathrow should consider using its two, existing runways more efficiently by allowing them to handle both arriving and departing aircraft so that more flights can take off and land on them, provided this can be done within environmental limits on noise pollution, air quality, and provided that public transport connections to the airport are improved. Would you strongly support, somewhat support, neither support nor oppose, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the more efficient use of Heathrow’s existing runways so that more flights could take off from, and land at the airport?

Strongly support or somewhat support	56%
Strongly support	26%
Somewhat support	30%
Neither support nor oppose	18%
Somewhat oppose	8%
Strongly oppose	16%
Strongly oppose or somewhat oppose	23%

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