It’s summer and most of us will be, hopefully, spending more time outside and in our gardens. If you have, it is impossible to ignore the increased aerial activity above us. At a friend’s in the village for a BBQ recently one evening all conversation had to stop as aircraft after aircraft roared over (many registering unacceptable decibel levels), continuing on their way to Egham. At the north of the village the flights to South Africa, in particular the 747s, rattle our window frames. We used to look forward to easterly take-offs, but of course they are now looping back over the village – so there’s absolutely no respite.

So these findings on the Heathrow website (shown below) were rather perplexing. They show that few complaints are received from Runnymede in comparison to other affected areas. You can see how few people from our area put in a complaint during the months April to June this year. I ran a quick check

on our Facebook page, asking if people continue to be bothered by the noise  – and people told me they still are. But are people letting Heathrow know or just tutting about it and saying how awful it is and how it’s going to be much worse if Heathrow gets the go ahead to expand? Sadly, I think it may be the latter.

So people, let’s not get complacent or put up with it because we think nothing will change. Please continue to register your complaints to Heathrow (in particular), to your local councillors,* to your MP,  RBC (all addresses on the website). And you might even like to let David Cameron know – and whilst you’re at it, ask him why he’s excluded Phillip Hammond and other ministers with constituencies bordering Heathrow from the committee on the Davies’ recommendation: in this year of Magna Carta – there’s democracy for you.

*Our new councillor Japneet Sohi (Environment and Sustainability) was elected back in May and proclaimed a particular interest in residents’ concerns about aircraft noise, so do contact her at [email protected]