Susan Kramer MP responds to Heathrow Equalities Impact Assessment

4.12.20pm GMT Fri 7th Nov 2008

Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston has fed back her views to the Equalities Impact Assessment on Heathrow Expansion.

Susan said:

"Additional flights to and from Heathrow Airport, whether arising from a third runway or an end to runway alternation, will have a disproportionate impact on the more vulnerable residents in my constituency.

Parents report regularly to me that young children are the most disturbed by flights overhead. When constituents stand in line to sign petitions against Heathrow expansion, mothers are at the front to the queue to report that babies are woken by flight noise.

Teachers and school heads confirm that aircraft noise makes outside play difficult and indeed I clearly remember the official opening of Marshgate School when Sir David Attenborough had to keep stopping his speech for 2 or 3 minutes at a time to allow planes to go overhead because no-one could hear a word. I am quite distressed that the Department of Education has not more strongly expressed to you the concerns all of us hear from schools under the flight path that learning is impaired.

While older people are assumed to be hard of hearing, this group again seems in fact to be extra-sensitive to aircraft noise.

Air quality issues are of course of most concern closer to Heathrow. However, quite a number of local residents are particularly concerned with the chemical discharge from planes. "Blue ice", though only an occasional discharge over my community, has the potential to do serious damage. Some Ham residents have reported a relationship between high numbers of vapour trails and breathing problems.

Stress levels are already high in my community and reports that aircraft noise increase stress levels are worrying indeed.

As for economic impacts, those on my community are overwhelmingly negative. We have low unemployment but many businesses that rely on a quality environment to attract customers - The Royal Botanical gardens at Kew is one example. Any deterioration in life quality through increased aircraft noise sends customers elsewhere. Deterioration in life quality also risks further blows to an already depressed housing market.

In many instances I cannot furnish you with precise numbers and analysis which is why studies are needed before any decision is made about Heathrow expansion. I ask you to undertake this work before coming to any conclusion."