Residents who live near Heathrow are slightly more likely to be in favour of expansion than be opposed, according to a large poll commissioned by the airport.
The Populus survey of more than 6,000 people found that 46 per cent supported a bigger Heathrow, compared with 43 per cent who were against expansion.
Communities with more people who worked at the airport were found to be more in favour of expansion.
In Feltham and Heston, 51 per cent backed expansion, with 38 per cent against, in Spelthorne the breakdown was 48-36, in Windsor 48-39, Brentford and Isleworth 46-43, Hillingdon 44-47 and the least support was in Richmond Park with 50 per cent opposing a bigger Heathrow compared with 39 per cent in favour.
Clare Harbord, Heathrow’s director of corporate affairs, said: “This research shows that most local residents back Heathrow. Anti-Heathrow campaigners claim that everyone living near Heathrow is opposed to the airport, but that simply isn’t true.”
John Stewart, chairman of anti- Heathrow expansion group HACAN, challenged the findings. He said: “This poll is a little bit out of kilter with the majority of polls which have been done which show overall opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.”
Heathrow bosses say 114,000 jobs in the area depend on the airport. It is to fund a “new community campaign” to argue for the benefits of expansion.
Populus interviewed more than 6,000 adults between February 27 and May 4.
