AN EALING environmental group has slammed an offer by Heathrow Airport's operator as “meaningless”.

On Wednesday BAA, which runs the airport, promised only to increase the number of flights if they could meet environmental limits set by an independent assessor.

The number of flights from the airport will increase if the operators are given the go-ahead for a third runway, and changing the way the two existing runways are currently used.

However, Nic Ferriday, a spokesman for Ealing Friends of the Earth, said: “ The government has already said that a third runaway and the extra flights would only be allowed if "strict environmental limits" were met.

“So BAA is offering nothing new. In the case of air pollution, the limits are set by an EU Directive so all BAA is saying is that it will obey the law.”

He also called for any assessor appointed to set limits to be vetted by independent organisations like Friends of the Earth, to make the process legitimate.

A decision on whether a third runway can be built is expected in December.