Now is the time to Protest

Although I have held banners at smaller local protests and written plenty of letters to newspapers I have never been on a large London or national protest march. No, not even the anti Iraq war '“ can't remember why or what, but I had made previous arrangements to be somewhere else. I also offered the reasoning that I have always found other means to protest, which I felt had just as much impact as being one of several thousands in a large crowd.

Last week this Labour government announced that it was going ahead with support for a third runway at Heathrow, with no vote in Parliament. This was met in many places and undoubtedly in this household, with utter disbelief and some dismay.

Liberal Democrats in parliament were the first to oppose a third runway at Heathrow as long ago as May 2007. I know that we have also been arguing that the current recession is a good time to build better transport links. But not this one.

In 2007, up to 125,000 short haul flights were using space at Heathrow. Eurostar has taken 70% of the London to Paris traffic. The answer therefore is simple. Develop the High Speed Rail links. This will bring the necessary expansion to the economy without causing untold damage to our environment.

The arguments given by the government that environmental damage will be mitigated by trading of carbon emissions is nonsense. This is particularly the case for those who live next to Heathrow or even in London where already air pollution in places is above the legally binding limits which come into force in 2010. The proposal is a retrograde step in the fight against climate change.

I understand that the Greenpeace organised project to buy up land at Heathrow has been a great success with thousands of supporters signing up to take a stake. If I don't therefore need to join that scheme perhaps it is time to break the habits of a lifetime and don my protest gear, ready for a trip to Heathrow.