Lib Dems back battle to stop Heathrow expansion

12.00.00am GMT Wed 30th Oct 2002

"Enough is enough" was the message from Sally Hamwee this Saturday as she joined a protest against the government's proposals for a third runway at Heathrow organised by HACANClearskies. Representatives of all the political parties showed the strength of feeling across the parties, and heard messages from local political representatives and from Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrat party, who gave his support.

Baroness Hamwee was joined by Katie Gent, a member of the HACANClearskies committee, and they travelled on the open-topped Big Red Bus which drove the route of the new flightpath through Kensington, Hammersmith, Chiswick, Ealing and out to Harmondsworth. They both live under the existing flightpaths, in Barnes and Mortlake, and are determined to fight the proposals.

"A third runway must mean a sixth terminal as well - and thousands more people affected by noise, pollution, and problems with traffic on the ground. We were promised that T3 was the end of development at Heathrow, then T4. Now the threat of the ending of runway alteration and the demolition of 10,000 homes is not to be contemplated" said Sally Hamwee. "Of course Heathrow is important to our economy, but the government seems to give the aviation industry everything it asks for, unquestioningly."

"We can win this battle," added Katie Gent. "Don't underestimate the power of protest