Forum Topic

Andrew Slaughter's Resignation

Well done to the guy for taking a stand on principle but it raises two issues in my mind. First of all is Heathrow really such a big issue for people in his constituency? I can't say it is one of my major worries. Hammersmith has lots of ambient noise and already aircraft contribute to it. I use Heathrow and will probably end up using the third runway.Also, why resign now? There has been a very long consultation on the issue and perhaps the time has passed for effective action because now that the go ahead has been given contracts will be quickly drawn up and the financial cost of cancellation makes it to expensive not to proceed.

Ellen Kearney ● 5993d9 Comments

We were told Westfield would bring Hammersmith to a shuddering halt because of the extra traffic it would bring and if anything there seem to have been fewer jams since it opened.

Ellen Kearney ● 5987d

Probably not although is it really likely that road usage would rise by 50%?Apart from Crossrail there are hopefully going to be more transport improvements before the third runway opens. New signalling on the Piccadilly line will increase capacity there and should allow trains to stop at Turnham Green giving a direct link to Heathrow. Also the third runway is shorter than the others so although there will be more planes, on average they will carry fewer passengers.

Paul Corcoran ● 5987d

The current situation is tolerable expect when something goes wrong.My point is that I don't think that the current surface transport infrastructure could cope with 50% more passengers....

Andrew Broadbent ● 5988d

The hope would be that the progression of R3 would now make it impossible to cancel or even postpone Crossrail which should reduce the transport impact. The current transport situation around Heathrow seems tolerable except when there is an accident on the A4, M4 or A30 at which point everything grinds to a halt.

Paul Corcoran ● 5991d

One of the things which has not been sufficiently publicly debated IMHO is the issue of surface transport to and from Heathrow if passenger capacity were to be significantly increased.I suspect that the traffic congestion caused would be sufficient that most West London residents would be adversely affected.If he is making a stand on behalf of his constituents - and he should - then I suspect that this is one of the reasons.The arguments in favour of R3 are largely unquantifiable ones around the effect on the UK economy and the status of UK and London in the world league.  As well as the apparent rights of BAA and BA to make even more money.

Andrew Broadbent ● 5992d

He is not my MP but my personal observation on Andrew Slaughter is that there must be a degree of disapponted ambition. He headed up Hammersmith and Fulham Council which was highly rated by the Audit Commission and in terms of responsibility was probably the equivalent of a smaller ministry. He undoubtedly has talent yet he only ended up with a minor and unpaid role in the Government. Given the calibre of some of the people that have been promoted ahead of him that would seem strange. Speaking to people who have met him they all agree he is an intelligent man but the words 'pedantic' and 'prickly' reoccur. There must be a thought in the back of his mind that he is going to be under severe pressure at the next election and he needs every vote he can get. Shaun Bailey looks like a strong candidate and even assuming a Labour recovery in the polls the Conservatives are likely to do well locally because of the tax cuts by the Council.Perhaps like his predecessor Lord Soley he has a job lined up post-election with a lobby group but this time anti-Heathrow rather than pro-.

Paul Corcoran ● 5993d

Due to boundary changes Andrew Slaughter won't be representing Acton and Chiswick after the next election. His new constituency would be Hammersmith if he were to win.I'm slightly sceptical of this move as he held his counsel on the issue of the tram until quite late in the day before coming out against it as election time loomed. A pattern seems to be emerging.

Andy Jones ● 5993d

His constituency also comprises Acton and parts of Chiswick, to be directly affected by the flightpath of R3.

Colin Murphy ● 5993d

His constituency also comprises Acton and parts of Chiswick, to be directly affected by the flightpath of R3.

Colin Murphy ● 5993d