Newsdesk

KENT SAVED FROM AIRPORT EXPANSION

18th December 2003

The Government has ruled out airport creation at Cliffe, and Manston has not been targeted for major expansion. The East Kent Green Party is calling upon Kent residents to celebrate this success by supporting a "No New Runways Bill", introduced into the House of Lords by Green Party peer Lord Beaumont on 10th December 2003. The Bill, officially called the Air Traffic Reduction Bill (1), would require the government to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry - which would mean limiting air traffic itself. Hazel Dawe comments:

"We have avoided airport expansion in our �back yard.� Now we need to make sure the noise, pollution and traffic problems associated with airport expansion are not inflicted upon other communities: not in anyone�s back yard! Our aviation industry gets a tax break of over �9 billion a year. Then there are hidden costs of almost �4 billion a year, not to mention a balance-of-payments deficit of �11 billion a year attributable to tourism, most of which is by air. The Air Traffic Reduction Bill would require:

- A 5% cut in aviation emissions by 2010, compared with 2000 levels.
- A 10% cut by 2015.
- A 50% cut by 2050.(2)

* Air traffic �congestion charging� is supported by a wide range of environmental organizations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (3), Friends of the Earth, Campaign to Protect Rural England and by the Institute of Public Policy Research. Since the British aviation industry shed 20,000 jobs April 2002-2003, figures for projected passenger increase must be regarded as bogus. By 2007, more people will be using Eurostar to reach the continent, cutting the demand for air travel." ENDS c 285 WORDS

Further information: Hazel Dawe, Campaigns Officer, on 01233 645167. Contact address: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH

Notes:

1. Copies of the Bill are available from 020 7561 0282, press@greenparty.org.uk .

2. See Emissions Charging at Major UK Airports, written by the party's head of media Dr Spencer Fitz-Gibbon, and more detailed reports dealing with some of the largest airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Luton), at www.greenparty.org.uk/reports.

3. http://www.rspb.org.uk/policy/Economicdevelopment/whitepaper.asp

4. Campaign to Protect Rural England Kent Branch - Press release - 17 December 2003 - Cliffe breathes a sigh of relief but the environment still loses out

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20th June 2005