HUNDREDS of Hillingdon residents made their voices heard outside Parliament on Tuesday, supporting the expansion of Heathrow, just as the final consultation on expanding London’s runways took place.

People representing more than 80,000 who live in boroughs around Heathrow made their point as the Airport Commission’s public consultation on expansion drew to a close.

The demonstration follows recent backing of an extra Heathrow runway by the Manufacturers Organisation (EFF).

It published the results of its survey last week, claiming that 79% of people asked were in favour of expansion.

The proposals, revealed in November 2007, have received mixed responses from Heathrow neighbours who continue to experience noise and, in some cases, the prospect of their villages being swept away.

Rob Gray, campaign co-ordinator for Back Heathrow, said: “The silent majority are now speaking out in their thousands, determined to see that growth at Heathrow is delivered by politicians.

“Even leading opponents of a new runway acknowledge that most people in local communities around Heathrow support expansion, and this remarkable outpouring of support simply confirms that fact.”

Opponents of expansion believe that the majority of those who live and work near Heathrow are afraid to speak out as they may lose their jobs.

Sarah Clayton, co-ordinator for AirportWatch said: “Back Heathrow have deliberately made people who work at Heathrow, or depend on Heathrow for their jobs, afraid that they would lose their jobs if there is no runway.

“It is not necessary to build another runway to have jobs in the Heathrow area.”

Polls carried out by neighbouring councils in 2013 indicated that more than 100,000 people did not support an expanded Heathrow runway.

Hillingdon is prominent in its opposition to a new runway that would cut through the villages of Sipson and Harmondsworth.