Staverton and more - A while back blog readers may recall that various people entered into correspondence with David Drew to ascertain his position on aviation. I have to say I warmly welcome some of his answers that I have just viewed in a link from Kev's Climate column - a Nailsworth-based campaigner. David Drew in his response on 2nd April to Kevin makes many useful points - not least giving me a mention:
"I am, in principle, opposed to further expansions at Staverton Airport. There are several reasons for this:
- Staverton’s expansion plans are not essential to safety management. Rather, they are business-oriented propositions that seek to transform the airport into a major regional carrier. Planned runway expansions will enable the airport to accommodate large passenger aircrafts which will have detrimental effects on its surrounding environment.
- Increased air traffic will diminish the living standards of those residing near the airport.
- Sites marked for runway expansions fall within a greenbelt
- As Phillip Booth has rightly pointed out, extended runways will enable the airport to provide a greater number of short-services (i.e. flights to London). These are the most carbon intensive of all flights."
"I do not, however, just believe that imposing a moratorium upon further airport expansions is the solution to this problem....I cannot endorse anything which would endanger the safety of air passengers, however but believe the way to stop airport expansion is to cut our dependence on flying everywhere off at source. There should initially be a voluntary personal moratorium apart from whence this is absolutely unavoidable on flying to be re-enforced by the use of compulsion when we get the Bill through and international agreements are sought."
I don't believe this is the way. We need direct action by Government which should include massive promotion of video conferencing, health warnings (see below), taxing aviation fairly (see below), proper massive and urgent investment in public transport especially trains...all this would cut demand and the need for more airports. When people have to start paying the true costs it will be a very different matter. It is vital in my view that a clear plan for no further airport expansions is developed. We cannot sustain the extra CO2 emissions they will cause.
Anyhow I also saw a good letter in the Echo from Alison Parfitt re Staverton raising the issues re their Business Plan:
"Madam - I may have lost the plot as the airport story twists and turns like a thriller. Can the airport explain two turns:First, why does it publicly state that plans to extend a runway won't result in increased air traffic, when its five-year plan expressly predicts such increases and tries to play down the impacts of this increase, for example on property values?
Second, why does it ignore its own impact on climate change, stating that its carbon impacts are negligible compared to traffic down the road. It aspires to increase small business air traffic - the most inefficient use of fuel for business travel."
Indeed I was very disappointed to read in the local paper that Cheltenham Borough looks set to continue to support the Airport's Business Plan for expansion - this is in the face of their own Climate Change Strategy. When are these people going to wake up?
Greens support Health warnings - The Institute for Public Policy Research, one of the leading UK independent think-tanks on the centre left said the Government should introduce cigarette-style health warnings on all advertising for air travel, holidays that include flights, and at airports. Since their conference a year ago in in March 2006, the Green Party has been calling for similar measures, and the Party's manifesto says it would introduce mandatory warnings to be included on all advertisements for air travel, along with details of the carbon dioxide emissions for each flight advertised. The Greens' scheme would also place this information on flight tickets.
Aviation is the fastest growing source of dangerous carbon emissions but in reality how many people are really aware of the impact their individual flights will have? Health warnings on airline advertising would go a long way to curbing the dangerous and increasing impacts of flying. Runaway climate change will kill more people than those that die from smoking; isn't it time we did something about it? Mind this is only part of a series of measures - Greens also seek to end the UK tax-payers massive subsidisation of aviation - airlines receive over £9 billion in tax breaks each year because of tax-free fuel and VAT-free tickets and planes.
Southampton - Greens are campaigning across the country but this action by MEP Caroline Lucas hit the press as she was handing out ear plugs. She met a group of about 20 residents who live under the airport flightpaths and has opposed increased activity at the airport, submitting a response to the airport's consultation on expansion. Dr Lucas sits on the European Parliament's influential environment committee that considers EU aviation policy. Speaking at the event she said: “Aviation is the fastest-growing source of the greenhouse gas emissions that are fuelling climate change, and we must cut them quickly if we are to prevent its worst impacts. Doing so will require international action – and this could better be achieved by calling time on plans to expand airports and runways around the country and exercising real global leadership on the issue, not tweaking charges to passengers.”
Cornwall - Well after the Climate Change seminar in Gloucester a week or so ago I ended up being quoted in a Green party news release in Cornwall - see below - election time meant I don't think it got picked up - it seems a bit to knock Cornwall with all the good work they are doing but unless such inconsistancies are pointed out we are not going to get anywhere. We can't expand aviation. It's as simple as that.
CORNWALL ADVISES GLOUCESTERSHIRE ON CLIMATE CHANGE REDUCTION MEASURES
Philip Booth, a Green party District councillor in Gloucestershire, attended a seminar yesterday in Gloucester on climate change at which a presentation was given by Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership. He Council's Beacon status in Sustainable energy means that they were here in Gloucestershire to help us improve. It was indeed inspiring to hear about Cornwall's actions to reduce carbon emissions - but I can't help wonder how this fits with the County Council plans to invest over £21 million on Newquay Airport? The increase in emissions will wipe out any gains by the Councils Beacon status. They may have Beacon status in sustainable energy but it is climate change villain status when it comes to the airport."
Roger-Creagh Osborne, the Cornwall Green Party's spokesperson on transport issues and candidate in the forthcoming Caradon district council elections, added
'We were very disappointed when BA recommenced their service from Newquay to Gatwick - short haul flights are the most damaging and there is a viable alternative. Also, the proposed airport expansion will mean the tarmacking of good agricultural land at the very time that we should be keeping it in production for local food and fuel crops'.
The Green Party in Cornwall is very supportive of the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership which has developed an energy strategy signed by 72 organisations and has been instrumental in tacking fuel povery in the county.
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