British Celebs Buy Airport Plots To Protest Third Runway At Heathrow

Land earmarked by Heathrow owner BAA to build a third runway has been bought by a group of celebrities, scientists, politicians and green campaigners in an attempt to severely delay the development. The new runway would make Heathrow Britain's biggest single source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Oscar-winning actor Emma Thompson and comedian Alastair McGowan, along with Conservative party green adviser Zac Goldsmith, Greenpeace director John Sauven and others, have signed the deeds for a one acre field on the edge of the village of Sipson, which will have to be demolished to make way for the runway. The plot lies right at the heart of the proposed runway development.

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Comments

[Ares1]

I don't know which is better or worse, a third runway at Heathrow or a new airport at Cliffe, Kent similar to what Mayor Boris Johnson wants.

[Tatiana]

I've always like the name of "Heathrow"

[WilliePilgrim]

The current phase of giant airport expansion around the world has a very similar historical feel to it which, if we study it a bit, might just shed some light on it. Just prior to the invention and widespread introduction of the automobile the US and other industrialized countries were in a similar phase of building gigantic iinfrastructure for their futures, but it wasn't airports. It was gigantic train stations designed to service dense urban cores. Of course these gigantic complexes are now largely unused and even when rail transit is still valuable the idea of giant stations is outmoded. Giant hub airports will in the near future likewise become rather obsolete as highly efficient smaller air transport systems that are faster and more economical using the power of satellite and computer systems become more common. I hope that, when seeing the future we don't forget that the process of making things very large and complex is also an invitation for innovation to make things more direct and circumvent the overly complex and outdated systems we've come to believe we can't live without, but soon will be.

[dutchman]

I think you're exactly right, although in Heathrow's case, it will always be such a big hub simply because London is such a dominant world city, with people from all corners of the world calling it home. The locals alone generate a lot of the traffic. The question is whether or not they should continue to push for so-called transfer passengers when most of the technological development is moving towards point to point travel.

[JScott]

Too bad there aren't enough rich folk like this to do the right thing as there are plenty of other plots that need this on the planet too.

[humble liberty]

Land? Is this a row over heath?

yukyuk

[speciallady2003]

And Emma Thompson regularly swims to America for work. And sails to the Continent. These are people who fly privately. Idiots all.

[dutchman]

It would be better for Gatwick to be expanded by adding a second runway, or even Stanstead. Heathrow is incredibly inefficient - you can spend an eternity on the tarmac, all the while with the engines producing lots of exhaust fumes. A new runway would, ironically, initially reduce emissions as taxi times are reduced, but BA (with their fancy - and expensive - new T5) wants to significantly increase the number of landing slots at Heathrow, thus negating any positive effects.

[jrb35]

I think you miss the point. Just because someone recognizes the scientific fact that global warming is real and man made doesn't mean they're obliged to live some sort of 18th century agrarian lifestyle. It's not about everyone giving up 100% of their use of fossil fuels.

[peterg76]

I'm sure they mean well, but 1) it won't matter who owns the land if the government chooses to expropriate it and 2) it would defeat the purpose if it simply meant a new airport had to be built somewhere else.

[SonofLiberty1]

This is why some folks think environmentalists are idiots:)

These folks are idiots though...

[Bitsko]

Perhaps for their next act, these celebs could try and do something about giving Northern Ireland back to the Irish?

[speciallady2003]

God forbid! Should happen and as funds and interest dry up, it may.

[jrb35]

And what about the IRISH there who want to remain a part of Britain? That fight ended a long time ago. Get over it.

[Stud99]

Only two runways. It's like a 3rd world country over there.

[LITNUP]

Hey Heathrow,,, Just give Chicago's Mayor Daley a call and you will have your runway by Easter

[SenecaIII]

LITNUP

LOL :) That was funny.

Remember Daley the S O B stole that federal airport Meigs field (Downtown Chicago city airport) by sending in bulldozers in the middle of the night to dig up the runway. The federal government fined him the maximum amount that was on the books. $45,000.

:)