An independent and representative sample of over 1,200 residents commissioned by Ealing Council has found that a large majority of its residents back a new runway at Heathrow Airport. This is despite the council voting to oppose the scheme at a meeting in December.

 The survey results were welcomed by Parmjit Dhanda, Executive Director of Back Heathrow, the community campaign for a new runway at Heathrow airport. He said: “In February a residents’ survey in Hounslow showed a 15% rise in support for Heathrow expansion to 59%. Now Ealing Council has confirmed this pattern of rising support, with 69% of residents backing expansion.

 “Ealing Council is right to ensure that air quality is protected and noise minimised as part of this scheme, but this is a clear message from local people that the council should now wholeheartedly back the scheme and the thousands of jobs and apprenticeships it will create.”

 The shift in support towards expansion follows the Parliamentary vote in June 2018, in which two of the three Ealing MPs (Steve Pound and Virendra Sharma) backed expansion (Rupa Huq voted against), in a Parliamentary majority of 296.

In February, the Hounslow residents’ survey revealed that 59% of residents supported a new runway – up from 44% in 2016, with only 22% opposing it. http://bit.ly/2JXXMRh

Last month the Royal Borough of Maidenhead and Windsor, which had been one of the leaders of the failed legal challenge against Heathrow expansion decided it would reconsider its position with a free vote at a full council meeting in June.

Mr Dhanda added: “With this new information at hand I hope Ealing Council will reconsider its formal position of opposition through a debate and free vote at a future council meeting. The position of the council should reflect the view of its residents.”

The full Ealing council survey results can be found here:http://bit.ly/2HV2tZV