Environmentalists protest outside Luton Airport expansion consultation event in Stevenage
Environmental campaigners gathered to protest against the proposed expansion of Luton Airport outside a consultation event. Protesters from Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth, LADACAN and SLAE joined forces for the peaceful demonstration. The airport plans to build a new terminal and increase passenger numbers from the current 18 million per year to 32 million a year. Former Herts county councillor Amanda King is now an active member of Extinction Rebellion which she set up locally in Stevenage; the airport expansion demo was its first action. She said: “Flying has the highest carbon footprint of all forms of transport. Taking one return flight generates more carbon than people in some countries produce in an entire year. …[aviation] is expected to account for 25% of CO2 emission by 2050.” As well as CO2, the protesters emphasised the airport expansion will also increase noise, traffic congestion and air pollution. The airport knows there will be hugely increased carbon impact from the expansion, as well as the other negative consequences, but falls back on the old chestnut of there being more jobs and more local prosperity. In reality, most passengers using Luton are British people taking leisure trips abroad (spending their money there).
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Environmentalists protest outside Luton Airport expansion consultation event in Stevenage
11 December 2019
By Louise McEvoy (The Comet)
Environmentalists gathered to protest against the proposed expansion of Luton Airport outside a consultation event at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre on Thursday.
Protesters from Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth, LADACAN – Luton and District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise – and Stop Luton Airport Expansion joined forces for the peaceful demonstration.
London Luton Airport Limited plans to build a new terminal and increase passenger numbers from the current 18 million per year to 32 million a year – nearly doubling its capacity.
Former Herts county councillor Amanda King, who lives in Stevenage, is now an active member of environmental movement Extinction Rebellion – and most notably arrested during the group’s London protests last month for laying down in a road with other campaigners.
Amanda has now set up an Extinction Rebellion group in Stevenage, and the airport expansion demo was its first action.
She said: “Flying has the highest carbon footprint of all forms of transport. Taking one return flight generates more carbon than people in some countries produce in an entire year.
“Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions, expected to account for 25 per cent of all emission by 2050.”
As well as carbon emissions, the protesters emphasised the airport expansion will also increase noise, traffic congestion and air pollution.
Two Extinction Rebellion Stevenage members dressed in black and wearing black face masks disrupted the consultation and were ejected from the event.
Anthony Aldridge – programme director of Luton Airport Limited – has said “the proposed development would deliver huge economic benefits to Hertfordshire and beyond”, including the creation of 5,600 jobs and a £2 billion boon to the economy, but said it is their job “to balance this out with the valid environmental concerns”.
He said: “We accept greenhouse gas emissions will be impacted by the expansion, but Luton Airport has shown in the past we are willing to listen to feedback and act accordingly.”
If you are interested in joining Extinction Rebellion’s Stevenage group, email ExtinctionRebellionStevenage@outlook.com
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Luton opposition groups:
HALE (Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion alliance group)
STAQS – St Albans Quieter Skies on Facebook
Harpenden Sky Harpenden Sky
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