HEATHROW AIRPORT’S CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
MAY HAVE TOLD LIES AND POSSIBLY
PROVOKED ACTIVISTS INTO TAKING ACTION.
In a Press Release issued on
06 July, 2015, five days after the publication of the Airport Commission’s
report in which it recommended expansion at the airport, it stated that John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive of
Heathrow Airport, was going to announce to the delegates at the Runways UK
Conference that “the debate on where a
new runway should be built is now firmly closed” and that “work will begin immediately”. Both of
these statements are lies and provocative as the location of the runway is only
a “recommendation” and work can not begin until the Government gives its final
decision which the Prime Minister David Cameron has delayed until after the
London Mayoral Elections have been held. Realising how ruthless this man
appears to be to achieve his ambitions it wouldn’t surprise me if he got the
security to allow the peaceful climate change protesters into the secure area,
the incident, which under normal circumstances would have counted as a major
breach and instigated some form of investigation, doesn’t appear to have
affected anybody inside the organisation, and then use the consequences,
possible prison sentences, prohibition orders, suspended sentences etc. as a
big stick to deter others from trying similar things and delaying his project.
The group of environmental
activists Plane Stupid after having protested against a proposed third runway
for a number of years, had effectively been disbanded following the Prime
Minister, David Cameron’s promise “no
ifs, no buts, there would be no runway”. A member of the group said “We thought
we’d won this fight” and “We thought that it was off the table” but following
the publication of the report on the 1st. July 2015 by the Airports
Commission which said “Heathrow was best placed to provide ‘urgently required’
capacity”, we thought “We’re going to have to fight this all over again”. Plane
Stupid issued a statement saying “When the democratic, legislative processes
have failed it takes the actions of ordinary people to change them”. On the 13th.
July 2015, just 7 days after John Holland-Kaye’s announcements which could have
been taken as fact that the final
decisions had been made, 13 ordinary people, now known as the Heathrow 13, cut
a hole in the perimeter fence and gained access to the north runway where they
set up a peaceful protest against
the affects of the proposed expansion by chaining themselves together and to
fencing allegedly causing the airport to have to cancel 22 flights, worldwide
delays and astronomical cost. After 6 hours they were arrested and charged with
aggravated trespass and being airside without permission. They have
subsequently been found guilty and
sentenced to 6 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months with restriction with
regard to access to Heathrow and periods of unpaid community service.
It is said that banks are too
big to fail and perhaps Heathrow Airport is too big and too vital to our
country to fail but that doesn’t give it, or the people who own and run it, a
right to run roughshod over ordinary people who have a right to question their
actions or their intentions, especially when they directly affect them and
people that they are concerned about. Nor does it mean that they can set an agenda and do as they wish on the basis
that the country will have to accept it. If, as we are being told, this
development is for the greater good of the country, then it needs to be sold to
the people who will be directly affected by it, not just dumped onto them with
the threat of compulsory purchase orders and the wiping out of an entire
village.
Are their any good people out
there, with some form of influence, who can look into this matter with a view
to trying to correct an injustice against 13 ordinary people who felt that it
was their duty to carry out Direct Action, which is a vital part of any
functioning democracy.
I have heard that the
Chairman of the Airport, Sir Nigel Rudd, is due to stand down this year.
Perhaps his final act could be to replace the Chief Executive.
James
Hancock.
A Good Common Man.
( Because of what happens when “good men do nothing”
Edmund Burke)
( Ref: DE60844)
Heathrow Airport – PRESS RELEASE.
06 July, 2015
Heathrow expansion moving ahead
with procurement strategy for ‘all of Britain’
- Following a clear recommendation from the
Airports Commission, Heathrow has moved into the delivery phase
- Heathrow will create a Procurement Forum with
business leaders from across the UK to inform the airport’s
procurement strategy
- Heathrow’s annual business summit will
include an event outside London for the first time as the airport looks to
strengthen supply chain access for SMEs across the UK
In his first speech since the Airports
Commission’s clear recommendation for Heathrow expansion, Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye will announce that the debate on
where a new runway should be built is now firmly closed, that Heathrow
expansion will enable the Government to deliver the UK’s long-term economic
plan and that the airport is beginning to move swiftly into the delivery phase.
Expanding Heathrow will create up
to £211bn of economic growth and 190,000 new British jobs across the country –
the first wave of which will come from the planning and development of an
additional runway and new terminals.
Speaking to delegates at the
Runways UK conference, Mr Holland-Kaye will announce that the airport will now
begin to develop a comprehensive procurement strategy for the £15.6 billion in
private investment that will deliver new hub airport capacity for the UK.
Mr Holland-Kaye will announce that work will begin immediately, with the creation
of a Procurement Forum with representatives from different sectors and
experiences and from across different regions who will work with Heathrow to
champion and challenge the procurement strategy of the airport’s expansion. The
objective of the forum will be to make sure Heathrow has the right strategy in
place to deliver Heathrow expansion both on time and on budget, whilst also
considering the wider implications of other major programmes underway, and the
supply chain opportunities for growth across Britain.
This PRESS RELEASE has been
shortened. The full version is currently available on Heathrow Airport
website :- www.heathrow.com
END.
