New Poll Result Shows More Residents Back Heathrow Than Oppose It

The survey, which was conducted by Populus, is a representative sample of more than 6,000 residents from Hounslow, Richmond, Hillingdon, Windsor and Spelthorne. It found:

• 60% of residents feel positive towards Heathrow compared to just 6% who feel negatively
• 66% say that the benefits of Heathrow outweigh the disadvantages for their community
• 46% support expanding Heathrow, compared to 43% who oppose expansion
• Heathrow is the 12th most important issue is determining which candidate to vote for at the next general election, with jobs and the economy the most important issue.

The area with the most aircraft noise, Feltham and Heston, is the area which is most supportive of the airport expanding. 51% of people in Feltham and Heston support expanding Heathrow compared to 39% who are opposed.

Heathrow Director of Corporate Affairs, Clare Harbord said

“This research shows that most local residents back Heathrow. Anti-Heathrow campaigners claim that everyone living near Heathrow is opposed to the airport, but that simply isn’t true.

“The recent report by MPs on Parliament’s Transport Committee lays bare what the Mayor’s plans for a new airport would do to this region: it says an estuary hub airport would require the closure of Heathrow – a course of action that would have unacceptable consequences for individuals, businesses in the vicinity of the existing airport and the local economy.”

“We believe that local jobs and businesses are worth fighting for. It’s time to give people who agree a voice in this debate. It’s time to back Heathrow”

114,000 jobs in the area depend on Heathrow, representing 1 in 5 local jobs in the five boroughs closest to Heathrow. If Heathrow closed then people directly employed at the airport would have to be re-located or would be made redundant. It would be Britain’s worst ever mass redundancy with job losses greater than when MG Rover closed its factory at Longbridge in 2005 (6,500 jobs), or during the worst year of UK pit closures in 1984 (30,000 jobs).

The results of the polling has prompted Heathrow to announce that it will provide seed funding for a new community campaign to provide a voice for the thousands of local people who support Heathrow. Plans for the campaign are in their early stages but it will seek to establish itself and start identifying and recruiting support before the end of the year.

Notes to editors 

• The Report ‘Aviation Strategy’ was published by the House of Commons Transport Committee on 10 May 2013 and is available at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/news/as-report—substantive/. The Committee said “The viability of an estuary hub airport would also require the closure of Heathrow – a course of action that would have unacceptable consequences for individuals, businesses in the vicinity of the existing airport and the local economy.”

• Populus interviewed at least 1,000 adult residents (18+) in each of five constituencies and one London Borough local to Heathrow Airport by telephone between 27 February and 4 May 2013. In total, 6,003 residents were interviewed. Results were weighted to be demographically representative of all adults in each constituency and borough. Constituency results were also weighted by past vote to be politically representative of all adults.

• The full detail of all polling questions referred to in this press release are available at http://www.populus.co.uk/Poll/

Contact information

NameHeathrow Airport media centre
Telephone +44 (0)20 8745 7224
Email media_centre@heathrow.com

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