A NEW poll of voters in the Uxbridge & South Ruislip constituency reveals widespread opposition to commercial flights at RAF Northolt, with the vast majority unaware the runway was re-opening.

It closed this year for renovation work and re-opened to commercial flights on November 11. There was no consultation with residents.

A recent study commissioned by the Ministry of Defence suggested Northolt could take up to 50,000 commercial flights, if modifications were made.

Basil O’Fee, of the Regional and Business Airports Group, who commissioned the poll, said:

“Northolt is now a fully-fledged commercial airport, but without playing by the same rules as other civilian airports.  

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“This poll shows that residents don’t want tens of thousands of commercial flights on their doorstep. Yet they’ve never been given a say.

“Ministers have repeatedly broken their promises to cap the numbers.

“The MoD should immediately suspend commercial flights and carry out a proper process that takes account of noise and local air quality – just like any other civilian airport would have to.

“That process should assume the original starting point of 7,000 flights a year.”