AGS Press Release
No to the third runway at HeathrowA response to Gordon Brown's CBI speech giving big business the go-ahead for Heathrow expansion
Issued Thursday 29 November 2007
For immediate release
NO TO THE THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW
Gordon Brown's speech to the CBI giving big business the go-ahead for the third runway at Heathrow is full of duplicity. While he is pledging the country to take action on global warming he is hugely expanding pollution from air travel. He knows it's impossible to move in opposite directions at the same time.
The destruction of 700 homes for the new runway is an act of vandalism. It will destroy a whole community with knock-on effects of pollution and noise which will be felt at least as far west as Maidenhead and as far east as Kensington and Chelsea -- in all affecting 50 towns and communities.
The increase of 900 flights a day will neutralise the good work done by others to cut CO2 emissions, and will be a disincentive to people who are playing a part in saving the planet.
With the development of bullet trains which puts Paris only 2hours 10minutes away, the government should ensure that there is no major centre in this country not reachable quickly by train. Trains produce only a fraction of the greenhouse gas emission of air travel.
Even if we accept an increase in international air traffic, a more rational approach to this problem would be for regional airports to increase their share of air traffic. Heathrow should reduce its air traffic by at least 3% -- the amount it's increased in the last 10 years.
The long term plan must be to reduce air travel if we are serious about tackling global warming. A first and logical step would be to tax aircraft fuel in the same way as other fuels. At the moment we provide a huge tax incentive for the type of travel that is worst for the environment.
Greenpeace has pointed out there is collusion between the government and BAA to get this third runway built. In any "consultation" with the public, we can only expect more spin and deception from Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly.
The Alliance for Green Socialism calls on those genuinely working to stop climate change to oppose the building of the third runway at Heathrow.
EDDIE ADAMS
ALLIANCE FOR GREEN SOCIALISM
42, ST LAWRENCE TERRACE W.10. 5ST 020 8 964 9531.
Enquiries to: Mike Davies, 07811 384888
email: enquiries@greensocialist.org.uk
web: http://www.greensocialist.org.uk
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