Extinction Rebellion at Heathrow: Eco activists descend on airport with makeshift 'bulldozer'

Extinction Rebellion activists are descending on Heathrow Airport with a makeshift “bulldozer” as they plan to stage a “lie in” protest.

The eco activists have filmed themselves cycling to the transport hub en masse by pedal bike as they plan to protest a third runway this afternoon.

A group of cyclists are shown taking up several lanes of a busy road near the airport sporting XR flags, spearheaded by a yellow “bulldozer” tricycle.

The demonstration forms part of Extinction Rebellion’s 12 Days of Crisis campaign in the final days of the election campaign, as activists pressure politicians to sign up to their three demands.

In a tweet on Sunday morning, the group’s London branch said: “Boris Johnson said he'd block Heathrow airport expansion by lying in front of the bulldozer.

“He's an MP, he could have blocked it in parliament. He didn't. Now the bulldozer's coming.”

The XR cyclists set off from Hyde Park corner at 10.30am, planning to block the Cromwell Road junction in Earls Court at 11am, Hammersmith at 11.30am, Gunnersbury roundabout under the M4 flyover at 12 noon,

They plan to arrive at Heathrow's Bath Road, above Tunnel Road roundabout, at 1.30pm.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and other politicians have been invited to attend the protest.

When they arrive at the airport, the bulldozer will join cyclists on Bath Road, above the Tunnel Road roundabout, to perform a “Bulldozer lie-in” to “act out the future destruction” of a third Heathrow runway.

The controversial runway has faced repeated criticism by environmental campaigners and MPs, amid concern over financial and environmental issues.

Parliament gave Britain’s major airport the go-ahead for expansion in 2018, but Boris Johnson has expressed lively doubts" about plans for the expansion.

In a Prime Minister’s Questions session in October, he said: "As for the Heathrow third runway, it remains the case that I have lively doubts about the abilities of the promoters of that scheme, as I think he does, to meet standards of air quality and of noise emissions.”

In June, Heathrow Airport published its “masterplan” which included the aim of constructing a third runway by 2026.

Heathrow will submit final plans for scrutiny by inspectors at a planning inquiry next year.