CPRE Kent joined colleagues from CPRE Sussex and CPRE Surrey at the Gatwick Protest Meeting on 22nd November. It is estimated that around 1,000 people attended in total, including all the campaign groups, six MPs, one MEP and many local councillors.
Photo from Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign
We should be focusing on making the best use of the runway capacity we’ve got, and more environment-friendly transport strategies, not carving up the south east for more runways. We believe we should maximise the use of cross-Channel routes to France and ensure that flights are not crossing to the near continent half empty.
The Government should set Air Passenger Duty on planes, rather than individuals, as an incentive to airlines to only operate those services that are full. Better allocation of runway slots would provide all the additional passenger capacity needed and avoid untold damage to the countryside, including further loss of the little tranquility that remains in the South East of England.
