Southwark council joins coalition against Heathrow expansion

Southwark council has become the latest local authority to join the fight against the expansion of Heathrow airport.

With the Westminster Parliament now joining the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, London Assembly and more than 500 councils around the UK in declaring a climate emergency, it is clear that the unconstrained growth of carbon intensive infrastructure is no longer politically palatable, says the authority.

And, it claims, it is no longer just environmental campaigners who are considering the proposed expansion of Heathrow to be the totemic issue in the battle against climate change, but mainstream politicians too.

Paul McGuinness, chairman of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “We are delighted to welcome Southwark council into the coalition.

The severe air and noise pollution impacts that Heathrow expansion would have on communities across London are simply unacceptable and cannot be mitigated away.

An increasing number of councils are waking up to this fact and, knowing that it’s their duty to protect their residents, are saying No to a third runway.”

Cllr Richard Livingstone, the council’s cabinet member for environment, transport management and air quality, said: “We are happy to be joining the No 3rd Runway Coalition, to stand alongside other groups, organisations and individuals, in opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.

“We are already worried about carbon emissions from existing flights, both here and across London, and concerned for residents who live in the south of our borough, where airplanes already wake people up as they pass over, on their way to Heathrow.

“We strongly oppose a further runway and even more air traffic over London.”