NO MIXED MODE FOR HOUNSLOW RESIDENTS

ANN Keen MP has welcomed the Government’s decision to rule out "mixed mode" operations at Heathrow - the first major victory ever for local people over the airline operators. 

The future of Heathrow is a complicated issue and has different implications for different areas right across London and the Home Counties. The airport and airline operators had pushed the government very hard for two major concessions — to be allowed to introduce mixed mode on the current runways and to construct a third runway.

The media has concentrated exclusively on the third runway because that is easier to explain, but the most immediate and the most damaging of the two for residents would have been the introduction of mixed mode, which the operators would like to have implemented immediately.

Mixed mode would have meant that local people, who currently suffer from aircraft noise, would have had that noise doubled as they would have lost the half day respite from overhead flights that runway alternation allows.

Ann and Alan Keen said, “We have put our arguments, and those of our constituents, against the expansion of Heathrow and its operations directly to the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State.

“This result on mixed mode is proof that they listened. Because mixed mode is barred, there will be no increase in noise or pollution for Hounslow people.”

They added: “We have won the first battle for the first ever major concession on Heathrow, but we did not succeed in our opposition to the third runway, and that now moves from the political into the legal and planning area.

“However, the Government has insisted on very stringent air pollution, noise and carbon emissions limits and these will be legally binding.“