Archived press release

National alliance will fight airport growth

27 October 1998

Friends of the Earth and the Aviation Environment Federation, together with local branches of Transport 2000 and CPRE, have agreed with local airport action groups [2] to campaign together to prevent the forthcoming Airports White Paper from leading to a massive expansion of airports in the UK.

Jeff Gazzard of Manchester FOE, who organised Saturday's conference, said:

“Saturday's conference made us realise that our fears about growing countryside-destruction, noise and air pollution due to airports are the result of a UK-wide trend that can only stopped by united action.

“Air travel is also the fastest growing cause of global warming. The Government's White Paper must consider controlling the growth of aviation rather than simply the need for new airports.

“The 'predict and provide' philosophy that the Government has abandoned for road traffic and greenfield housing must now be abandoned for air travel as well.”

Speakers at Saturday's conference included the emissions expert, Dr Mark Barratt, as well as local campaigners from Stanstead and Gatwick and a representative of FOE's Europe-wide “Right Price for Air Travel” campaign to end tax subsidies to aviation.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] “Airports and Air Travel: a local and global problem” was sponsored by Friends of the Earth and the Aviation Environment Federation.

[2] Delegates at Saturday's conference included representatives of groups concerned about Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, Manchester, Luton, East Midlands,Leeds/Bradford and Birmingham airports, as well as those fighting proposals for new airports on old military airfields at Woodbridge in Suffolk and Alconbury near Huntingdon.

For further information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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Archived press release

National alliance will fight airport growth

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