'How does a man with a cathode ray tube living in a tower block know how to milk a cow?’ That was the rather cryptic question asked of me by an elderly gentleman propped up at the bar of the Railway Tavern in Mortlake at the weekend. Just in case you were wondering what the conversation was about, it was Lib Dem tax policy.
You see Richmond is a bit like Wisteria Lane from the cult series Desperate Housewives. On the surface it’s a disturbingly perfect, beautiful neighbourhood, but scratch a bit deeper and nothing is quite what it seems. Behind the facade of normality is a Borough full of philosophers bordering between genius and insanity.
So Richmond isn’t exactly your typical London neighbourhood, and campaigning in Richmond isn’t exactly a typical experience. Hence when I organised a street stall against airport expansion at Heathrow, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that when a dishevelled looking tramp approached, he wasn’t going to demand 50p for a coffee. Instead he lectured me for 30 minutes on aviation fuel technologies, providing a fascinating incite into the aviation industry.
Unfortunately, whilst our Borough’s Oxford educated homeless population are more than aware of the problems with airport expansion, my new German neighbours were apparently oblivious to it.
You know the pitch, ‘It’s a lovely quiet street sir, great area, beautiful parks, have you heard of Kew Gardens… world heritage site. Yes just sign here.’ Well that’s what happened to them, only the agent ‘forgot’ to tell them that Richmond is directly under the flight path to Heathrow.
So we now have a fifth terminal currently under construction, plans for a sixth terminal, a third runway, and an end to runway alternation (which means that planes could take off and land on the same runways massively increasing capacity). What does that really mean? Well that’s up to you. Many people have said to me, what’s the point? It’s a losing battle, why should we bother doing anything?
I have to say I’m increasingly fed up with this defeatism. If BAA get their way we will have a plane every 90 seconds passing over Richmond. That means you won’t even be able to hear a whole song on the X Factor without it being interrupted at least twice, though perhaps that’s no bad thing.
Seriously though, if you have spent a few too many hours watching the Learning Zone due to 747 induced insomnia, why not contact local independent campaign group HACAN and ask what you can do to help in the fight against airport expansion. A link to their site is provided on the right hand column of this page. Alternatively if you really can’t be bothered, there’s always double-glazing.
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3 comments:
Ooooooooh I do love this Blog of Andrew's! I don't seem to be seeing eye to eye with you mate!
Argument 1. This is an old chestnut. The airport was there before you were. You can't complain because you either knew it was there or were too stupid / foolish to do sufficient due dilligence before buying.
Argument 2. It's a damn site quieter in Richmond than it is in Central London.
Argument 3. The jobs you have, the economy who's prosperity you enjoy depends on the infrastructure that feeds London. That means, roads, railways links, and airports. Even the underground, much moaned about is enormously important. Heathrow's growth represents the rising prosperity of London and the South of England. It brings jobs, and this means better standards of living for all, from the poorest up. And the poorest could really use a hand.
Argument 4. It's going to happen so what are you doing wasting your time trying to stop it? Why don't you start looking at ways to capitalise on it. Canary Wharf is losing its Enterprise Zone Allowance status next year. This means there won't be a big tax break for building there. Time to promote West London and the poorer areas like Wembley that could use the jobs that an enlarged Heathrow could accomodate, at the airport and within the vast area affected by it's economic impact.
So stop moaning and start doing something positive, they're not about to slap 20,000 homes on Richmond Park. But West London could certainly use 20,000 new jobs!!!
"...Instead he lectured me for 30 minutes on aviation fuel technologies, providing a fascinating incite into the aviation industry."
incite
Pronunciation Key [in-sahyt]
–verb (used with object),
-cited,
-citing.
To stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action: "to incite a crowd to riot".
Mr Harris, what can I say! The airport was here before me…. That’s true. But London was here before the airports, so whose interests are more important? Surely the point here is that you seem to be arguing for economic growth at any cost. Do the views of the thousands of residents living under flight paths mean nothing? It’s not just the noise, what about the pollution levels, which are becoming dangerously high due to increased air traffic?
Then there’s your argument that it’s noisier in Central London. Really? Just what is noisier in Central London than a 747 passing over your roof every 3 minutes from 5:00am onwards?
As for your economic argument I have a few points. Firstly if night flights were banned there would only have to be minor changes to timetabling which would have minimal or no effect on the economy. Indeed this point has been made strongly by the European Court.
Secondly, many flights are unnecessary particularly domestic, where there are viable alternatives like rail, which are fast and much more environmentally friendly.
Thirdly, you seem to be implying that airport expansion is somehow essential to urban regeneration in West London. What about investment, building projects, education, cross rail etc? The point is that there are many ways to encourage urban regeneration.
Then there’s you point that it’s going to happen anyway. Well if EU directives on pollution and human rights are properly enforced it may not happen. However if people living under the flight path take no action and just sit back than you’re right – it will just happen. On the other hand, if we make a fuss, as we have been doing, than this encourages local authorities to take legal action, which Richmond Council is in fact currently doing.
As for moaning! I don’t moan. I’d just like BAA to a take a little notice of its neighbours. Surely that’s not so unreasonable.
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