The Cranford Protocol or Cranford Agreement was an oral undertaking given in 1952 by the British Government to the residents of Cranford in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

regarding the usage of the runways at

London Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...

to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on local residents. Under normal operations the agreement prohibited take-off on the northern runway towards the east (over London) because of the proximity of Cranford to the east end of this runway; however this runway could be used in exceptional cases, for example when the southern runway was not available for departures or when departure delays are excessive. Although no formal written agreement exists, the Government acknowledges that an oral undertaking was given by a senior government official at a meeting of the Cranford Residents' and District Amenities Association on 31 July 1952. The protocol is included in the ''Heathrow Manual of Air Traffic Services'' and the airport's noise abatement notification, and thus is a part of the airport's operating rules. On 15 January 2009, the Labour Government announced that it was ending the Cranford Agreement as part of the controversial

expansion of London Heathrow Airport The expansion of Heathrow Airport is a series of proposals to add to the runways at London's busiest airport beyond its two long runways which are intensively used to serve four terminals and a large cargo operation. The plans are those present ...

. Although in May 2010 the Coalition Government cancelled the Heathrow expansion plans, in September 2010 it reaffirmed the decision to end the Cranford Agreement. This decision was welcomed by the

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. It is named after both the towns of Maidenhead and Windsor, the borough also covers the nearby towns of Ascot and Eton. It is home to Windsor ...

, to the west. To the east, the

London Borough of Hounslow The London Borough of Hounslow () is a London borough in West London, England, forming part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 when three smaller borough councils (forming part of the former Middlesex County Council area) amalgamated under ...

called for mitigation or compensation to be offered by BAA to those affected by ending the Cranford Agreement. In May 2013

Heathrow Airport Holdings Heathrow Airport Holdings is the United Kingdom-based operator of Heathrow Airport. The company also operated Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport, Edinburgh Airport and several other UK airports, but was forced by the Competition Commission to se ...

(who own and operate the airport) submitted planning permission to the

London Borough of Hillingdon The London Borough of Hillingdon () is the largest and westernmost borough in West London, England. It was formed from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the ceremonial county ...

to build new access

taxiway A taxiway is a path for aircraft at an airport connecting runways with aprons, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller general aviation airports sometimes use gravel ...

s, which would allow the implementation of full runway alternation on easterly operations. This permission was rejected in March 2014; Heathrow Airport appealed with a planning enquiry in June 2015. On 2 February 2017 the Planning Inspectorate recommended that the appeal be allowed and planning permission granted. The decision has not yet been implemented as the airport is considering the Government's airspace management proposals for London and their own plans for expansion.

References

{{reflist Aviation in London Transport in the London Borough of Hillingdon History of Heathrow Airport 1952 in the United Kingdom *