News / Bristol airport
Campaigner brands Bristol Airport’s latest expansion plans ‘bonkers’
A leading campaigner against the expansion of Bristol Airport has branded the airport’s latest expansion plans “bonkers”.
Steve Clarke has urged anyone “against this craziness” to get in touch with the pressure group Bristol Airport Action Network who are gearing up for another battle against the airport.
Although no specific plans have yet been unveiled, Bristol24/7 understands that the airport is looking to expand to 15m per year as well as building a longer runway.
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Steve Clarke is a leading member of Bristol Airport Action Network – photo: BAAN
Clarke said: “The fact that the airport are planning to expand again to 15m passengers per year is bonkers; that would mean the airport being almost half as large again as it currently is.
“Local residents don’t even know what the impacts of the current planning permission to 12m will be on their lives and they are being asked to accept another one.
“The extra noise, night flights, congestion on the surrounding roads and impact on the climate from the CO2 would be truly enormous.
“The airport will say they are striving to be a carbon neutral airport; well yes, but that doesn’t include any of the carbon from the flying of the planes!
“The airport will say that so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will save us; but SAF only fuels way less than one per cent of current aircraft and even then, exactly the same carbon and pollution comes out the back of the engine when it is fed SAF.
“The airport will say that electric and hydrogen planes are the solution; total greenwash nonsense; they are nowhere near being a mainstream solution.
“All of these techno solutions can never compensate for the huge increases in passenger numbers that the industry has planned.
“The only solution is demand-management; starting with a halt to airport expansions.
“The new government needs to follow the independent Climate Change Committee’s recommendations and have a policy of no net expansion of airports.
“If any readers want to help our campaign against this craziness, please email baancc@protonmail.com”
Bristol Airport opened in 1957 on the site of the RAF’s former Lulsgate Bottom Airfield – photo: Bristol Airport
A Bristol Airport spokesperson said: “We are working on an Airport masterplan to 2040 setting out future infrastructure development to meet the strong and growing demand of people in our region using Bristol Airport.
“As part of the masterplan process, we will launch a public consultation towards the end of the year, so people can help shape our plans.
“There are now more than 10m passengers a year using Bristol Airport, providing over 5,000 local jobs and contributing £2bn to the regional economy every year.
“Our masterplan to 2040 will look at expected passenger growth beyond the current allowance of 12m passengers per annum.
“We’re continuously investing in improvements to meet current demand, with our new multimillion pound public transport interchange currently under construction.
“We are also working towards our net zero operations 2030 target and committed to working with partners on aviation decarbonisation.
“The masterplan will look at what further development might be required to meet the growing demand for air travel and we’d welcome input from people when public consultation starts later this year.”
Main photo: Bristol Youth Strike For Climate
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