Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re: Debates On Third Runway are fine but...... | |
Posted by: | Paul Green | |
Date/Time: | 13/11/12 09:44:00 |
It may not be a living hell, but many people are adversely effected by noise, and many people choose to move as a result. Even those that stay can suffer from disrupted sleep and elevated stress, as many studies have shown. Lets not forget that the third runway will NOT have the option of the current alternation, so it will have noise EVERY day from likely 6am until 11pm at night, with a plane overhead every couple of minutes. Then there is the little issue of air quality, which around LHR already fails European standards, and more research is telling us how much illness and death this causes. Just because people already die on the roads does not mean we should accept the risk of more death from accidents or pollution at LHR, at least not unless these are properly built into a cost benefit analysis (which they not when the last govnt approved R3). It always amazes me how some people dismiss noise and pollution issues, things that the rest of Europe take incredibly seriously. THere is a reason that Schipol, Paris, Frankfurt can expand, as they were deliberately placed away from major built up areas. Planes are not allowed to fly over Paris except at high altitudes. A third runway would see LHR ultimately handling over 120m pax pa, that TWICE the current size. Do you ever try and use the M4 or M25 at present, do you see how often roads in the area are gridlocked by any incident on the A4 or M4. How are all those extra passenger journeys going to be accomodated? The economic benefits of airports and direct employment are always grossly overstated, the vast majority of jobs are low paying eg cleaners, security and retail. We have an annual tourist deficit of some £20bn. Building more airport capacity is not going to address this, but probably make it worse. Rhather than ignore issues of noise, pollution, and bland statements about economic benefits, perhaps some of the pro R3 lobby can come up with some concrete arguments. |