Heathrow to close runway
RESIDENTS TOLD OF ‘TEMPORARY MEASURE DUE TO UNPRECEDENTED IMPACTS OF CORONAVIRUS’
HEATHROW Airport is going to shut down one of its two runways and operate take offs and landings from just one runway.
The hub airport is usually the busiest in Europe and operates at near 100 per cent capacity all-year round.
However, the vast airport in West London, which is trying to build a third runway, has been hit by flight cancellations in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
With countries around the world banning travel and the British Government advising against travel outside the country, the number of flights leaving Heathrow has fallen dramatically, leading to the decision to shut down half of its runway capacity.
The airport currently alternates flights taking off and landing at each runway, switching over during the course of the day on a biweekly pattern.
However, with so few flights needing to leave, the airport will be closing one runway from Monday (April 6)
A letter seen by MyLondon to local residents is describes it as a “temporary measure due to the unprecedented impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak”.
“It will provide us with greater resilience and safety for our colleagues, passengers and cargo,” the letter adds, noting the airport “facilitating significantly fewer flights”.
The runway used will continue alternating on a weekly basis and will allow the airport to also alternate flights which fly eastwards.
This had not been possible since the 1950s, when the airport reached an agreement with the village of Cranford which lies at the eastern end of the airport’s northern runway.
As a result of the agreement, which has now run its course, the airport never built infrastructure which would have allowed the runway to switch at the 3pm slot, which would result in higher levels noise for residents as planes took off overhead.
The airport has said they believe it is “vital” Heathrow remains open with “critical repatriation flights” and cargo services still operating.
Heathrow is responsible for handling 41 per cent of the pharmaceutical imports to the country.
The move also means the airport will be able to cope better with any further reductions to staff numbers either in air traffic control on on their airfield operations, due to the spread of the covid-19 strain of coronavirus.
The move has been made indefinitely, with no expected dates for when travel restrictions will be lifted globally.
Geraldine Nicholson from local campaign group Stop Heathrow Expansion, said: “We hope this is just as it says – a temporary measure.
Mixed mode can give Heathrow expansion by stealth and will not be acceptable to residents around the airport.
“Heathrow had a big defeat at the High Court recently and we know they want to increase the number of planes using the airport and have previously wanted mixedmode operations in place permanently.
“We will hold them to their word that this is a temporary measure.”