Major study finds sleep deprivation increases stroke and heart disease risk

HACAN PRESS RELEASE:

For immediate use

Email campaign launched to ban night flights at Heathrow

The week after a major new study linked chronic sleep shortage to increased risk of heart disease and strokes, HACAN has launched an email campaign to persuade MPs to back its call for a ban on night flights at Heathrow before 6am. Residents can email their MP and MEPs via the HACAN website: www.hacan.org.uk

The new study, released last week by Warwick University , is one of the biggest-ever into the effects of sleep deprivation. It is based on the experiences of hundreds of thousands of people across eight countries. Chronic short sleep produce hormones and chemicals in the body, which increases the risk of developing heart disease, strokes and other conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, according to Dr Michelle Miller of the University of Warwick.

She and Professor Francesco Cappuccio, who co-authored the report published in the European Heart Journal, followed up evidence spanning seven to 25 years from more than 470,000 participants across eight countries, including Japan , the US , Sweden and the UK .

Professor Francesco Cappuccio said: "If you sleep less than six hours per night and have disturbed sleep you stand a 48% greater chance of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15% greater chance of developing or dying from a stroke."

HACAN Chair John Stewart, “The evidence is overwhelming. Sleep disturbance damages our health. We are calling on people to back our email campaign to end night flights at Heathrow before 6am”.

Last month HACAN published a study from consultants CE Delft which found that sleep disturbance at Heathrow was costing the country so much money in terms of poor health, early death and low productivity at work that it would almost certainly help the economy if flights were banned before 6am.

The current agreement with airlines on night flights at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick comes to an end in Autumn 2012. The Government is expected to start consulting on a new agreement later this year.

ENDS

For further information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

Press Release dated 14/2/11

Ah Go on! Have a laugh on BAA!

Apparently Colin Matthews of BAA is in a one night show which will possibly be the most hilarious night you've had since the start of the credit crunch. It's always entertaining listening to the money of big business green washing and spinning their way as far away from the truth as possible, we only wish it was Richard Gooding of London City Airport on the podium:

One night only

But spare a thought: whilst you are choking with laughter on the night, residents underneath Heathrow, London City Airport, and all of the collective flight paths, will be choking with pollution.

EUROFLASHMOB!

Happening at 6 airports across Europe!
12 noon, Saturday 16th May 2009
The day of the Eurovision song contest

http://www.euroflashmob.eu/

12 noon - on the dot! - flash your red t-shirt in the departures section of Heathrow Terminal 1

Flash Heathrow! Flash Paris! Flash Frankfurt! Flash Amsterdam! Flash Brussels! Flash Dublin!

Join us! Bring your friends, wear a red t-shirt, bring instruments, download your favourite eurovision song onto your ipod or phone, wear a silly hat or wig, dust off your dancing shoes! Let's party!

Now for the serious bit: airport expansion is seriously bad for local people, increased noise, air pollution, and especially the climate. The aviation industry want to expand airports across the UK and Europe, but opposition is huge, and the scientists are telling us we have to drastically cut emissions if we are to beat climate change. Flashmobs are a fun way to highlight the real opposition there is to expansion at airports across Europe. Here's another big chance to show our opposition to a 3rd runway at Heathrow.

See you in Departures at Terminal 1 at 12 noon on the dot!

All over by one o'clock.

Tell BAA to get in tune! No Third Runway!

http://www.euroflashmob.eu/

(and please tell your friends, forward to lists etc)

Slaughter & May Advising London City Airport GIP on Gatwick Bid

The greedy shareholders of London City Airport General Electric, and Credit Suisse of train not plane fame, (they call themselves a consortium: Global Infrastructure Partners) have featured in The Lawyer with regard to their Gatwick bid:

"Global Infrastructure Partners, a consortium made up of GE and Credit Suisse, which already owns London City Airport, is believed to have turned to previous adviser Slaughter and May, led by partner Mark Horton. Clifford Chance is also understood to have a role for that client".

The old pressure pushers for Docklands appear to still be hanging in there.

All we hope is that it costs LCA and GIP a fortune, and they lose the bid. Trebles all round for us on that day!!

With LCA's operational track record of 10 years of failing to meet the most serious of environmental data collection requirements on air and noise, set within their planning agreement, and with flight delays well beyond Heathrows, we couldn't possibly recommend them for Gatwick and inflict them upon our good friends down there. With a CEO who reckons that running an airport is the ''most fun you can have with your clothes on'' , it's just too much to inflict on them, the thought!

Still, the 'lawyers' would have welcomed the instructions in these times of financial austerity! Perhaps Sir Robin Wales might even offer the taxes of Newham residents to assist the London Borough of London City Airport in their quest?

Is Hill & Knowlton or LCA attacking BAA?

We read with interest an article in which Tim Fallon (the alledged "PR Mercenary") of Hill and Knowlton comments upon his previous employer, BAA, to PR Week. Fallon states "I think there’s a hint of BAA thinking it couldn’t be touched".

Well we wouldn't disagree with that sentiment - however sadly it's not unique to BAA and there is more than a 'hint' in common with London City Airport's business attitude. After LCA's consistent breaches in collecting noise levels, air quality, aircraft tracking, and employment data for up to 7 years, it clearly indicates that London City Airport doesn't think it can be touched either.

Of course what Fallon didn't mention to PR Week was that he is now heading the team from H & K working for London City Airport to 'push' through the expansion plans. Neither did he mention that LCY et al have been eyeing up a Gatwick opportunity for some time. LCA was quoted in the Evening Standard in 2007 as being interested. So without a doubt the pen pushers at LCA will be busily putting together a bid for Gatwick as we work to stop them expanding at their current location.

So no conflict of interest in Fallon's comments to PR Week about BAA then!

Friends In High Places - Panorama

The fat cats are schmoozing. If you ever wondered just how cosy things can get between the airline industry and government, including local government, then Panorama's next programme on Monday 21st July, 8.30pm might just interest you.

Remember us reporting that a senior Newham Official had alledgedly stated "can't say no to big business" when talking about LCAs expansion to local residents at a question and answer session in Newham? What exactly could the individual had meant by such a statement? Clearly he wouldn't have a problem with saying to residents that their lives will be made a living hell by noise, they'll be out of pocket and their lives will probably be shorter as a result of the kind of expansion planned over in south and east London. Well it seems that autocratic attitude could be endemic......surprise, surprise!!!

In the report Panorama found that it was all rather cosy between Downing Street and the aviation industry, and that many of those that had worked for government now hold major positions in the aviation industry. We know of one who is linked to aviation land East London who fits this stereotype nicely, contact book to the ready then!

Spare a thought for residents in West London, and we hope you will show your support for them too.

BBC Panorama investigates allegations that the government has been in cahoots with BAA over the expansion of Heathrow Airport.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7514501.stm

How can the government lecture the country on going green while backing a third runway at Heathrow Airport which will dramatically increase air travel and raze a village to the ground?

Not without cynically twisting the science around air pollution and noise, according to critics.
The environment is one of Labour's big issues, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown himself saying that protecting it is "one of the greatest challenges of our time".