Uxbridge Gazette By Chris Longhurst
A FLASH mob with a difference is how yesterday’s (Thursday) protest at plans
to expand Heathrow Airport was described by campaign groups.
A number of protestors gathered in the Euro Star terminal in St Pancras Station
to sing the praises of rail as an alternative to air travel.
At 12.30pm (on the dot) the campaigners unveiled their red T-shirts, emblazoned
with the words ‘Stop Airport Expansion’ cracked open a bottle of champagne, held
up signs saying ‘Rail – Not Stupid’ and burst into song.
The event was primed to take place the day before the launch of the film The
Age of Stupid which warns against the activities which could lead to irreversible
climate change.
The song lyrics were as follows:
The Eurostar Calypso
Chorus
Nobody with half a brain
Would fly to Europe by plane
Much better by far
To take the Eurostar
Flying is no fun at all
Endless waits in departure halls
Airline security, airline food
Squashed up seats where you can’t move
(repeat chorus)
Half the fun of any trip you do
Is seeing the places you pass through
You can’t do that if you fly
All you see is clouds and sky
(repeat chorus)
Aircraft noise will drive you spare
They pour pollution into the air
Runways destroy communities
It’s just plain stupid, can’t you see?
(repeat chorus ad nauseam !)
John Stewart, chairman of the Heathrow campaign group HACAN, said: “Nearly a
quarter of flights using Heathrow are to UK or near-Europe destinations where
a high-speed, affordable rail service could be a viable rail alternative.
“Our message to the Government is: invest in rail; scrap plans for a third runway
at Heathrow.”
http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/west-london-news/local-uxbridge-news/2009/03/20/flash-mob-held-to-praise-rail-over-air-travel-113046-23195076/
