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Severnside Airport is a Non Starter Say Environmentalists

Following the announcement that proposals for a Severnside airport are being submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) today, Friends of the Earth Cymru restated their strong opposition to the idea. The campaigners say that the Severn Estuary is a highly environmentally protected site of European significance and the Severnside airport would be very damaging to birds and the sensitive ecology of the coastal and intertidal areas. The Estuary is a proposed Special Area of Conservation (pSAC) meaning that the wildlife and ecology are of European importance and significant damage would breach the Habitats Directive. Additional capacity for airport expansion has already been identified at Cardiff and Bristol airports by the DfT's own studies.

Friends of the Earth Cymru also say that the forecast growth in air travel is unsustainable and they propose an aviation tax to moderate demand and create a level playing field for high speed rail services. The tax revenue raised could be used for development of improved public transport services and the campaigners also suggest a contribution to poorer countries suffering from climate related problems. Air travel is very energy intensive and a fast growing source of greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming and in turn causes climate changes which can result in regionally devastating storms, floods and droughts (1).

Neil Crumpton, transport spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Cymru said:

" We do not see how this proposal would not be a major breach of the Habitats Directive. There is additional capacity at Cardiff Airport and Bristol for expansion, so there is no overriding need for a development within the environmentally sensitive Severn Estuary which is a proposed Special Area of Conservation. Flocks of birds may even present a safety issue for aircraft.

We regard the growth forecasts for air travel, which are causing pressure for the increased airport capacity, as unsustainable. Air travel is very energy intensive and a fast growing source of greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming and in turn causes climate changes which can result in regionally devastating storms, floods and droughts. Aviation growth needs moderating taxation, the revenues of which can be invested in good causes."

Notes

1) Friends of the Earth Cymru Press Release