RAF Northolt is being used more and more for commercial flights, rather than just military flights. The runway has also recently been closed for strengthening, in order to take larger jets.
Assembly Members unanimously agreed a motion today calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to work with local residents, to campaign against RAF Northolt becoming a commercial airport.
Andrew Boff AM, who proposed the motion said:
“There’s appropriate air travel and there’s inappropriate air travel – just as there are appropriate airports and inappropriate airports. This plan is plain daft.
Londoners do not need another airport and the Ministry of Defence needs to stop using its military status to get these plans through by stealth.”
The full text of the motion is:
“This Assembly notes that in recent years the Ministry of Defence has been steadily reducing the numbers of military flights from RAF Northolt, so that most flights from Northolt are now commercial.
This Assembly further notes that due to RAF Northolt’s military status, this has happened without the normal process of planning and consultation that would have been required if it were a commercial airport.
Recently the runway has been closed for strengthening in order to enable it to take larger jets. This Assembly believes that these developments are unacceptable.
This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor to work with local residents in doing everything possible to campaign against RAF Northolt becoming a commercial airport.”
Notes to editors
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was unanimously agreed.
- Andrew Boff AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interviews. Please see contact details below.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Lam on 020 7983 4067. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.