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Airport consultation: from bad to worse
27 February 2003
Commenting on the revised airports consultation released today by the Department for Transport, Friends of the Earth's Transport Campaigner Tony Bosworth said:
"Adding Gatwick to the target lists of areas that may suffer airport expansion certainly adds to the uncertainty and anxiety of people who may be affected. And it creates even more planning blight than the previous consultation. But it doesn't change the basic facts. Building more runways and airports will be an environmental disaster. They only seem to be needed because airlines get giant subsidies from the taxpayer.
Mr Blair talks tough on climate change one day. Then three days later his Government proposes huge growth in the fastest-growing cause of the problem. Like Solomon Grundy, Mr Blair's green credentials were born on Monday and took ill on Thursday.
If the Government could summon up the courage to defy the industry lobbyists, tax aviation fuel and bring in VAT on plane tickets, then we wouldn't need more runways or new airports"
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
