No to Heathrow expansion: David Schmitz welcomes cross-party support for Liberal Democrat motion

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 14th Oct 2008

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Tottenham David Schmitz has welcomed news that Liberal Democrat councillors have secured cross party support for their stand against the expansion of Heathrow airport last night.

Nonetheless Mr Schmitz, who has been running an online petition against a third runway at Heathrow airport, has urged Labour councillors to do more than simply back the Liberal Democrat motion but to actually to lobby the Labour ministers who will be making this decision.

The Labour-run Council agreed to break ranks with its national party and join other Liberal Democrat-run Council such as Islington and Camden in the 2M Campaign against the expansion of Heathrow airport.

Councillor Butcher, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson commented:

"Enough is enough - we cannot stand back and ignore the damage to the environment that will be caused by Heathrow's expansion. We will never move to a carbon free economy if we allow airports to grow and grow. I am pleased that Labour councillors supported our motion, but now they have to do the hard bit and persuade their ministers to actually see sense.

"Local residents living under Heathrow's flight path will bear the brunt of more flights and more pollution. As a local council we have to send a clear message that we don't want a bigger airport."

Councillor Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, added:

"We must call a halt to any expansion of Heathrow - either through additional runways or by allowing more frequent landings on existing runways. 100,000 domestic and short haul flights could be slashed if high speed rail was introduced. As seen from examples across Europe, passengers would switch en masse from air to rail if journey times were improved through introduction of high-speed rail.

"High-Speed Rail may be expensive - but the planet can't afford us not to provide an alternative to unnecessary air travel."

ENDS

The text of the Council motion is as follows:

This Council;

Is strongly opposed to the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport on the grounds that it will result in hugely increased CO2 emissions and noise pollution for the residents of Haringey and will make it virtually impossible for the UK to hit its targets for reducing carbon emissions, which we must do if we are to hold global warming to below 2ºC.

Does not believe that maintaining a healthy economy in Haringey and London's position as a major financial centre is dependent on a third runway.

And resolves to,

To join the 2M (Two Million Voices) campaign against the Heathrow expansion as many other local authorities, such as neighbouring Camden and Islington, have already done.