Green Party Want Hounslow to Stand up for Residents

Invites locals to ask councillors why Hounslow won't act against Heathrow

Brentford representatives for the Green Party have been busy talking to local residents since the parliamentary vote in favour of the third runway at Heathrow on 25th June.  Victoria George, who stood for the Greens in Brentford Ward in May’s local elections says:

‘I’ve spoken to many Brentford people who are utterly dismayed by this decision. They are now looking to the council to stand up for them in a clear, unequivocal way.  In May, Labour pledged, and I quote, to ‘advocate for the interests of residents on Heathrow, air quality and health.’  It seems to me that the best way Hounslow Council can advocate for us on all three right now is to join the legal action against expansion being taken by 4 other local London councils.’

‘We want people to write to their ward councillors asking them to press the council on this. If Hounslow decides not to join, residents deserve to know exactly why.  Neighbouring Richmond and Hillingdon are participating, but if this legal challenge is to be convincing, it must represent all local areas affected. Hounslow is a vital part of the jigsaw.’

Tony Firkins, Green Party co-ordinator for Hounslow, and Syon ward resident, wrote to the leader of the council on the matter.

‘Steve Curran referred me to the statement he made after the vote where he says that Heathrow’s current proposals to mitigate against negative effects are not yet satisfactory. As far as I could see from this statement, the only action Councillor Curran is committing the council to is to continue to work with the airport. He states that he wants to “win the best possible deal for residents should expansion proceed.”  I asked him whether this was how he saw the council fulfilling its pledge to campaign for a ‘better not bigger’ Heathrow, and he confirmed that it was.’

A number of residents have received responses from their councillors to say that they believe Hounslow should join in the legal action, but it remains to be seen as to whether their leader will agree.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) submitted its latest report to government on 28th June, 3 days after the parliamentary vote on Heathrow. It was able to report a rapid reduction in carbon emissions in the electricity sector since 2008 but ‘marked failure to decarbonise’ in others, including transport.

Hounslow Green Party will be at Brentford Market Place on Sunday 15th July, and as part of the Cathja Barge Project’s Festival of Waste on Sunday 29th July.

July 12, 2018