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Latest news stories:
WWF’s “One in Five Challenge” members are NOT increasing their flying – they’ve cut it by 38% over 3 years
A highly misleading article appeared in the Times on 3 February 2014 suggesting that WWF's "One in Five Challenge" members are increasing their flying and that they are leaving the Challenge because they need to fly more. The "1 in 5" challenge is a scheme to encourage businesses to cut their business flying by 20% over 5 years. The Times journalist based his misleading conclusions on data cherry-picked from the 3rd Annual Report from the "One in Five Challenge". WWF has set out the actual facts to counter the Times' errors. Flights have not increased during the Challenge; they have continued to decline. Over a three-year period, the number of flights taken by Challengers fell by 38%, far exceeding the target set by the Challenge. Even between Years 3 and 4, when the journalist claims Challengers have flown more, they have actually flown less taking 2% fewer flights. Challengers are not leaving the Challenge to fly more as the article alleges. The reason it may appear companies have dropped out of the scheme is because there is more data from Years 1 & 2 than Years 3 & 4 is that several Challengers who have recently joined the programme have not submitted as many years of data as Challengers who joined when the programme was launched in 2009.
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Cardiff Airport shuttle bus from Cardiff centre to attract more traffic averages 4 passengers per journey
A shuttle bus to transport passengers from Cardiff centre to the airport has carried on average fewer than 4 passengers a journey since its launch in August 2013. The service is funded by the Welsh government, with the cost suggested to be around half a million ££s. The bus runes every 20 minutes and has so carried an average of 2,778 passengers a week. Last month the Conservatives said the service was "unsustainable". A review of the service has been carried out by Prof Stuart Cole from the University of South Wales. Cardiff airport was bought by the Welsh government for £52m in March 2013 and the bus service is part of the strategy to reverse a slump in passenger numbers.A local MP said: "At almost half a million (pounds) in Welsh Labour government subsidy, that's an exceptionally expensive service to support and on current passenger numbers is simply unsustainable." But a Cardiff Business School transport expert said such services were needed to convince airlines there would be passengers available. "Airlines planning cycles are such that they're not just going to start routes instantly. It's going to take [6 - 12] months, to attract routes into the airport and, therefore, it's a bit like the chicken and egg."
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1.4% growth in global air freight in 2013, with 1.8% air freight growth in Europe
Global air freight tonne kilometers grew by 1.4% in 2013 compared to 2012, according to figures from IATA. Cargo markets made slow progress during the first half of the year. Growth took place in the 2nd half of the year. Capacity grew faster than demand at 2.6% making load factors decline, at 45.3%. “2013 was a tough year for cargo,” Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO, said. “While we saw some improvement in demand from the second half of the year, we can still expect that 2014 will be a challenging year. World trade continues to expand more rapidly than demand for air cargo." Air passenger demand is growing faster, at 5.2% globally in 2013 compared to 2012. Middle Eastern and Latin American carriers reported the strongest growth in demand in 2013. Asia-Pacific carriers, which have nearly 40% of the global airfreight market, saw freight volumes fall 1% in 2013. European airlines reported cargo growth of 1.8% for 2013, and North American cargo volume fell by 0.4% during the year. Middle East carriers had a 12.8% increase in Freight Tonne Kilometres (FTK) partly due to growth in domestic Gulf economies. Middle Eastern carriers have also captured a significant share of the increase in the volumes out of Africa.
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Tourism board drive to lure visitors away from London – half never venture outside the capital
In summer 2013 the UK nation’s tourism authority, "Visit Britain" launched a drive to get more overseas visitors to visit the rest of the country. Research for Visit Britain showed that of the 31 million who visited the UK in 2012 – a record number – half went to London only, never venturing outside the M25. The rest of England welcomed 13 million tourists, Scotland 2.2 million and Wales 0.9 million. The Visit Britain "GREAT Britain" initiative hoped to use the delights of country pubs, Stonehenge and cathedral cities such as Winchester and Lincoln promoted in campaigns abroad. Also that Britain is a comparatively small country and relatively easy to get around – and that they should not worry about driving on the left side of the road. It seems that many potential visitors just don't know what there is to see outside London, or how to get there. Visit Britain offices abroad are being given a “Beyond London” dossier of suggestions for destinations to promote. Visit Britain is to step up efforts to exploit opportunities presented by low-cost airlines which use regional airports for direct flights to Europe. Although most passengers are British tourists, the airports have already seen an increase in Europeans coming to UK destinations. An international survey showed 75% believed the UK has plenty of interesting places to visit outside of London (22% strongly).
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Defra publishes its noise action plan for agglomerations (section on aircraft), roads and railways
Defra has updated its Noise Action Plans for large urban areas, roads and railways following a consultation that closed in October 2013. There has been no update to the guidance for Airport Operators since July 2013 but the Noise Action Plan for agglomerations has some information about aviation noise. The Government‟s policy on noise is set out in the Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE). Its vision is to: “Promote good health and a good quality of life through the effective management of noise within the context of Government policy on sustainable development.” It aims to avoid, mitigate and minimise significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life. Earlier Defra prepared guidance for airport operators on how to prepare their Noise Action Plans, including the management of aircraft noise affecting noise sensitive buildings, such as schools and hospitals. Unfortunately responsibility for preparing airport Action Plans rests with the relevant airport operators, which is akin to having the fox in control of the hen-house. Those troubled by aircraft noise have found airport Noise Action Plans to be high on words, and worthy statements of good intent, but low on any real actions or targets to genuinely reduce aircraft noise - with rising numbers of air transport movements
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Government plans to increase UK road traffic by 40% by 2040 could hit climate targets
As with anticipated growth in numbers of air passengers, the government also tries to predict future numbers of cars. As with air passengers, forecasts of road vehicle numbers made 10 - 15 years ago have proved to be wildly too high, with much less growth than had been expected. The government is now predicting that road traffic will grow by 40% by 2040 as the UK's population and economy expand over the next few decades. It is banning planners from taking climate change into account when deciding whether new roads should be built. The stance has been criticised by the Campaign for Better Transport. The government argues the traffic increase won't affect plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, but it hasn't justified how. In June 2013 the government announced the "biggest-ever upgrade of our existing roads, worth up to £50 billion over the next generation." Road and rail travel currently account for about 20% of the UK's carbon emissions. Government advisor the CCC suggests CO2 emissions from cars, vans and trains need to reduce by 40% between 2010 and 2030, if the government is going to hit its targets under the Climate Change Act. Meanwhile aviation has - at best - a vague target to return its emissions to their 2005 level by 2050.
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IATA data show a 5.2% in passenger demand in 2013 compared to 2012 with 3.8% growth in Europe
IATA has produced its data for airlines globally for 2013, its air passenger market analysis. This shows there was a 5.2% increase in passenger demand in 2013 compared to 2012. ie in Revenue Passenger Kilometers. Its growth was 5.3% in 2012 and 5.9% in 2011. While RPK growth was 3.8% in Europe, it was 7.1% in Asia-Pacific; 11.4% in Middle East and 2.3 % North America. IATA's figures show globally only 80% of plane seats are filled - so 20% were empty. Total passenger traffic market shares by region of carriers in terms of RPK are: Asia-Pacific 31.9%, North America 26.4%, Europe 23.9%, Middle East 9.3%, Latin America 6.0%, and Africa 2.6%. IATA says of Europe: "European carriers saw traffic rise 3.8% in 2013 compared to 2012, a slowdown compared to annual growth of 5.3% in 2012. Capacity rose 2.8% and load factor was 81%, second highest among the regions. Modest economic improvements in the Eurozone since the second quarter and rising consumer and business confidence are providing a stronger demand base for international travel."
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Norwegian Airlines – with transatlantic Gatwick plans – under fire from unions for employing Thai staff at lower pay
Gatwick airport recently struck a deal with European low fares Norwegian Airlines, which hopes to start low-cost transatlantic flights to 3 US airports using 787 Dreamliners. It has given Gatwick airport a boost, with its excitement about its planned 3 flights per week to New York after July 2014, and 2 flights per week each to Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale. These may cost as little as £150 one way. However, there is now a lot of opposition by unions in both the USA and in Europe about the way Norwegian employs Thai air crew, for salaries that are very much lower than those paid to US or European employees, so it can undercut its rivals. Employment costs in Norway are high. Airline unions and pilot groups have asked European and US authorities to deny Norwegian Air Shuttle's request for a new long-haul license, accusing the budget carrier of trying to avoid taxes and skirt employment laws. It now plans to register the operation in Ireland and keep using Thai crew along with some American staff. There are fears that air crew will lose their fundamental rights, including the freedom to assemble, and the freedom to collectively bargain. Attempts to fly cheap long-haul routes date back to the 1970s, when Laker Airways flew from London to New York. It went bankrupt in 1982.
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Head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, warns of “merciless” climate change & need for less fossil fuel subsidies
Speaking in London, Christine Lagarde - Head of the International Monetary Fund - said a deal by the UN on emissions deal, and cuts in subsidies to fossil fuels are global priorities. She said the planet is “perilously close” to a climate change tipping point, and requires urgent cooperation between countries, cities and business. She said reducing subsidies for fossil fuels and pricing carbon pollution should be priorities for governments around the world. People should pay for the climate damage - the carbon emissions - they cause. “We are subsidizing the very behaviour that is destroying our planet, and on an enormous scale. Both direct subsidies and the loss of tax revenue from fossil fuels ate up almost $2 trillion in 2011—this is about the same as the total GDP of countries like Italy or Russia.” Describing the predicted consequences of climate change as “merciless”, she said leaders had to engage in what she called a “new multilateralism”, rekindling the “Bretton Woods spirit” which saw the creation of the IMF in 1945. She said investment in poorer regions was essential to ensure they can cope with a range of extreme weather caused by climate change.
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“London Councils” – representing 32 London boroughs & councils – calls for an end to night flights from 2017
"London Councils" is a cross-party organisation which represents London’s 32 borough councils and the City of London and works on behalf of all of its member authorities regardless of political persuasion. It has responded to the 2nd stage of the government’s consultation on night flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted by repeating its call for a total ban on night time flying from 2017. At present there is no ban on flying from the three airports at night but a limit on take-off and landing is in place. At Heathrow this is currently 2,550 in winter and 3,250 in summer. Councillor Catherine West, Chair of London Councils’ Transport & Environment Committee, said: “Night flights are an unacceptable part of the capital’s airport operations. This consultation is disappointing as it discusses keeping the current system, or extending the time period of the restrictions. It does not allow a proper assessment of the economic or health implications of banning night flights, which is what the majority of our residents want." London Councils believes night flight noise is a serious well-being issue and has a big impact on quality of life for ordinary Londoners. "Any new technical and operation procedures could help, but ultimately communities across the capital would like a ban on night flights from 2017.”
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Climate policy without the greenery: Is this the new face of Conservative environmentalism?
The Conservatives entered the 2010 elections promising voters that if they wanted to 'go green' they needed to 'vote blue'. But the Conservative party's climate change agenda has suffered a number of setbacks since David Cameron set foot in number 10 four years ago. Now the "2020 Conservatives" group has made a bid to reboot the party's environmental agenda - but they're being very careful how they talk about the plans. Their new report called "Sweating our Assets" aims to get the party's environmental agenda back on track. The group includes Laura Sandys. The Guardian described the report as the "pro-Green Tory" manifesto, and claimed it is intended to push back against the influence of climate skeptic party members. It's not immediately obvious the report has much to do with climate or environmental policy, however. Notably, the word "green" doesn't appear once. Instead of promoting policies explicitly aimed at tackling climate change or preserving the UK's green and pleasant land, the report proposes ways to make the economy less wasteful and more efficient. It aims to promote environmental policy indirectly, beneath the language of financiers and boosting economic growth.
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Rising number of passengers’ electronic items with lithium batteries is increasing fire risk on planes
There remains concern about the manner in which defective lithium batteries can catch fire and explode. There have been several incidents where items such as laptops and mobile phones have overheated, in planes or in airports. In June last year, police at San Diego International Airport noticed a passenger's bag was smoking as it journeyed around the carousel. Inside, a lithium-ion battery had touched a screwdriver and both had melted. In September 2012, a flight attendant and two passengers were burned when they handled a mobile phone and spare battery that overheated during a flight. In April 2012 a lithium battery inside someone's personal air purifier caught fire at 28,000ft. A recent estimate said that the average small plane carrying 100 passengers could have 500 lithium batteries on board when you tot up all the watches, laptops, cameras, e-readers, tablet computers and suchlike. The CAA say the huge growth in people carrying lithium batteries on aircraft poses a growing fire risk. In general, batteries bought from respectable retailers are regulated and safe, as long as passengers pack them in their bags properly. But there is a higher risk from cheap, copycat batteries bought online. Some can develop faults. The EU is slowly increasing access to the internet during flights, increasing the number of phones, and tablets on board.
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Birmingham business leaders condemn Airports Commission for not recognising Birmingham Airport’s economic potential
Business leaders in Birmingham have criticised the Airports Commission's interim report, released on 17th December, for overlooking the “crucial role” Birmingham Airport could play, in allegedly supporting the local and national economy. The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) said the potential for the airport to capture thousands of new passengers was not being considered. It has written to MPs Louise Ellman, chair of the Common’s Transport Select Committee, and committee member Chloe Smith to outline its view. The GBCC would like to invite Ms Ellman and other members of the Transport Select Committee to visit businesses in Birmingham "to showcase how Birmingham Airport can help drive the export-led recovery.” The GBCC says it is pleased that Birmingham Airport has been identified as a long-term option for development. They say that "the catchment area for Birmingham Airport is home to half a million businesses (approximately 25% of British business) and has the largest share of manufacturing activity of all airport catchment areas.” Also that the Commission "could have gone much further in exploring the role of both HS2 and other economic assets across the West Midlands."
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New £53 million platform opened at Gatwick airport station with £50 million more future government funding for more station improvements
Gatwick's new £53 million station platform has been opened. Transport Minister Susan Baroness Kramer formally opened Platform 7 and its associated facilities. First Capital Connect, hopes having this new platform will mean better services for passengers going to the airport, and that it will unblock a bottleneck on the Brighton main line. With some 14 million people arriving at, or departing from the airport by rail each year, (about one third of passengers) improvements were necessary for the "passenger experience." The Brighton Main Line is one of the busiest routes in the UK and the new platform at Gatwick should mean fewer delays for passengers using the line, as well as those getting off or on at Gatwick. The news coverage of the opening is characteristically gushy. This is part of a large redevelopment of the airport station – the Gatwick Gateway. Baroness Kramer said: “Gatwick makes a vital contribution to the UK economy and we must make sure facilities are upgraded for the benefit of passengers. That is why we have committed a further £50 million [taxpayer money] towards the complete redevelopment of the station.” Stewart Wingate said the improved station "will allow us to compete even more for passengers and airlines wanting to come to London and the South-east region.” .
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Heathrow consultation starts – 140,000 leaflets distributed – as airport hopes to minimise opposition on noise increase
Heathrow airport has started its 6-week consultation, to ask people living near the airport how they can "improve" on their runway plans - and reduce opposition to it as much as possible. The airport is sending out 140,000 short (12 page) booklets, to many neighbouring boroughs, but not Richmond (where there is fierce opposition). The thrust of the consultation is on noise. It is extremely simplistic, and should not really be considered as a proper consultation. Except for people motivated to write a lot of their own text, there is no simple way to say "No, we do not support a new runway" in the consultation response form itself. There are no questions along those lines. The form only has two questions - the first asking respondents to rank a list of criteria; the second asking if people think it is more important to have fewer communities living under flight paths affected more badly, or more communities affected a bit less. There is stunningly little detail. Colin Matthews says: “This consultation is to make sure we correctly understand what local people value and that we can take their views into account as we refine our proposal.” Everyone with an interest in Heathrow and its runway plans should reply to the questionnaire, and tell Heathrow just what they think, in the space for responses in Question 3. The consultation ends on 16th March.
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Ryanair makes a loss in 3rd quarter of 2013 and Michael O’Leary plans to do less colourful publicity stunts
Ryanair made a loss in the final three months of 2013 as lower fares and the weakness of sterling against the euro hurt trading. Ryanair's average fares were 9% lower in the quarter than a year earlier, leading to a €35m loss for the quarter. The loss came despite a 6% rise in passenger numbers, due to promotions and lower fares. Their ancillary" revenues - including reserved seating, priority boarding and credit card fees - rose by 13%. In November, Ryanair said full year profits for the year ending in March would be down on 2013 - the first annual profits fall in 5 years. To try and get over their bad public image, Ryanair are now allowing a free small second carry-on bag, a 24-hour grace period to correct minor booking errors, reduced boarding card and airport and bag fees, and allocated seating (costing €5) on all flights. After 20 years of dressing up in jester outfits and causing an outcry with claims such as “Germans will crawl b*****k-naked over broken glass to get low fares”, O’Leary has decided to step out of the public spotlight. He will make only very “rare” media appearances, as Ryanair tries to present a new, friendlier image... "he simply doesn’t need to be doing what he has been doing any more,” " analysts feel it is an important part of [Ryanair's] evolution to move on from its previous raucous image."
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Aviation Environment Federation response to DfT’s 2nd stage consultation on night noise
The DfT places restrictions on night flying at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. These are reviewed every few years, though in 2012 it was decided to just extend the restrictions until October 2014. There have been two phases to the current consultation, for changes after October 2014, with the first consultation ending in April 2013 and the second phase ending on 3rd February 2014. The DfT believes it should take "account of the findings of the Airports Commission before making any changes to the night restrictions regime." They therefore propose not making any significant changes till October 2017. The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) has responded to the DfT’s 2nd stage consultation. They comment that there is a need for an evidence-based target to inform a long-term night noise policy. This should be to reduce night noise below the threshold recommended by the WHO to avoid damaging health impacts. Improvements are needed soon, and therefore they oppose the intention not to make changes before 2017. Greater emphasis needs to be given to the health impacts, on which there have been more studies. There also need to be supplementary metrics to measure the impact of night noise and the performance of the existing night noise regime.
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Gatwick hopes that by giving another 1,000 homes double-glazing it will defuse opposition to a 2nd runway
Gatwick airport continues to spend a lot of money in attempting to get backing for its 2nd runway and soften up opposition. It has now set up a new scheme - starting on 1st April - to give people overflown more double glazing and house insulation, to attempt to cut some of the noise. That, of course, does not work when the windows are open, or when people are outside - in a garden, or elsewhere. Gatwick says it is expanding its noise insulation scheme, to cover over 1,000 more homes across Surrey, Sussex and Kent. People will be able to apply for up to £3,000 towards double glazing for their windows and doors as well as loft insulation; ie the scheme could cost Gatwick some £3 million in total. They are now taking the 60 Leq contour, rather than the 66 Leq contour, as in the past - hence increasing the catchment area. They are also extending the area covered by 15km to both west and east of the airport. Stewart Wingate said "We understand that the public’s tolerance to noise is much lower than it was"... Gatwick is pushing hard to compare the noise problem it causes with the much larger noise problem caused by Heathrow, where flight paths go over many more densely populated areas. They ignore the issue of the low level of background noise around Gatwick, compared to background noise in a city or large town.
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Stop Stansted Expansion calls for reduction and phasing out of Stansted’s night flights
Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) has made a detailed submission to the DfT consultation on night flights, calling for Government action to end the scourge of these flights. The government consultation proposes that Stansted should continue to be allowed 12,000 flights a year between 11.30pm and 6.00am. This is more than twice as many as are permitted at Heathrow and far more than are needed. The 12,000 cap was set in 2006, when Stansted was still expanding rapidly, and a 2nd runway was planned. However, today Stansted is handling 30% less traffic than in 2006. Logically allowing Stansted 12,000 night flights a year can no longer be justified. SSE argues that those living under Stansted's flight paths should have the right to an uninterrupted night's sleep, ie. a full 8 hours and not just the 6½ hours covered by the current restrictions. Stansted handled just over 8,500 night flights last year - well below the Government limit of 12,000. SSE is pressing for the limit to be cut to 7,500 night flights from October 2014 and then further reduced by 500 flights each year until night flights are totally phased out. The recent announcement by British Airways that it pulling the plug on its cargo operations at Stansted means that reducing the number of permitted night flights at Stansted from 12,000 to 7,500 should now be easily achievable.
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Member states should follow MEPs and back airspace emissions proposal
MEPs on the Environment Committee have stood up to political pressure from member states and industry by voting to endorse the European Commission’s proposal for an aviation ETS covering all of Europe’s airspace. Although the proposal regulates only 35% of airline emissions compared to the original EU ETS, it crucially captures a portion of long-haul flights – where most of aviation’s greenhouse gases originate. The proposal would see an end to a restricted ETS covering just intra-EU flights. Bill Hemmings, aviation manager at the European Federation for Transport & Environment, said: “By backing coverage of airspace, MEPs are ensuring the system captures emissions from all flights – both intra-Europe and long-haul over European territory. The decision also reinforces EU sovereignty, something a number of member states seem reluctant to uphold ...Any EU measure to fight climate change needs to be enforced. It is untenable that France, Germany and the UK are failing to enforce the 2012 legislation. This should be a precondition before talks between Parliament and Council members on agreeing changes to the ETS.” .
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Scrap HS2 and move Leeds Bradford Airport next to M1 says Wakefield council
Calls for a new airport for the Yorkshire region have emerged as a Wakefield council urged the scrapping of HS2 in favour of a wider package of transport improvements. Wakefield councillors voted to oppose HS2 scheme which would see high speed trains passing through the district to a new stop in the centre of Leeds. The […]
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Bedfordshire hares saved for now as Cranfield Airport calls off planned cull
Cranfield airport bosses have cancelled a planned cull of hares due to take place on 29th January after it was felt they should carry out a study of the animals first. They had planned to start shooting of hares and rabbits on scrubland south of the site "involving four qualified personnel carrying firearms." The cull was going to be undertaken following a crash between a light aircraft and a muntjac deer as the plane was coming in to land on the runway on December 16th 2013 Management at Cranfield University, which owns the Airport, decided to call off the cull at the last minute after wildlife campaigners raised concerns that the proposed cull could seriously damage the numbers of hares in Bedfordshire. "The University has also requested the airport to carry out a further study of the safety risks and population dynamics of brown hare at Cranfield Airport. The airport has confirmed that an independent study will be carried out and any appropriate action will be based on the recommendations of the report."
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Cranfield Airport to ‘cull’ hares (protected species) following crash between a plane and a deer
Cranfield Airport is a small airport, close to Cranfield university in Bedfordshire, which used to be a RAF aerodrome. It is operated by Cranfield University. It deals with helicopters, training flights, and business and private jets. Not commercial airlines. It has a concrete runway of 1799 metres. Now after a crash between a light aircraft and a muntjac deer on December 16 2013, the airport has decided to cull wildlife. This cull threatens the hares that use the surrounding area - hares are a nationally protected species, of which Defra is working to increase the population in its biodiversity action plan. The local paper reports that "On Wednesday bosses at Cranfield University plan to undertake a cull of hares at the Airport in which four qualified personnel carrying firearms will seek out the animals." Wildlife groups say the proposed cull could seriously damage the numbers of hares in Bedfordshire, with the species already having become under threat nationally since the Ground Game Act 1880 gave landowners the right to kill rabbits and hares on their land. The airport is clearing the area of scrub vegetation to the south of the site, including a 'controlled cull of the excessive hare and rabbit population' within that area. So much for universities setting an intellectual example of good practice on biodiversity.
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Local survey says 90% would use Doncaster Robin Hood airport if more destinations were offered
The small airports in the vicinity of Manchester fear they are losing out, as more passengers prefer to fly from Manchester. The local press in Yorkshire reports that Manchester continues to be the first choice airport for most travellers from South Yorkshire, followed by East Midlands airport. More than 66% of South Yorkshire flyers say they use Manchester “often” or “very often” while 25% said the same of East Midlands, while around 15% used Heathrow on a similar basis. Just one in 14 said they used Robin Hood often or very often – a similar proportion to those using Leeds Bradford and fewer than use Stansted or Liverpool John Lennon Airports. However, 90% said they would like to use Robin Hood if it had flights to a wider range of destinations.Little regional airports hope travellers would prefer them to larger airports, particularly to destinations in Europe – because that cuts the time they spend in the airport. Only 10% were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the range of destinations served by Robin Hood airport. Around 30% said the problem was lack of accessibility and connectivity with poor public transport and an inadequate bus service. Road access improvements from the M18 are planned.
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Liverpool John Lennon Airport aiming to win over 1m people who prefer to fly out of Manchester
Liverpool John Lennon Airport wants to win over the 1 million Merseysiders who currently fly from Manchester Airport each year.The loss making airport said it was “absolutely” certain that it will secure new bank banking facilities before the March 31 deadline. The ambition to lure local passengers away from Manchester was part of an overall strategy aimed at restoring passenger growth at Liverpool airport, which lost over 1 million passengers in 2013, compared to 2011. Liverpool airport says it has conducted market research that shows Merseysiders would prefer to fly from Liverpool rather than Manchester, if flights were available. But they are not. “People said they wanted to keep money in the Liverpool economy” (by taking cheap flights abroad to spend their holiday money elsewhere??). In recent years, JLA has lost market share to Manchester as its rival began targeting no-frills airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair that have traditionally been Liverpool’s biggest customers. Liverpool wants more low cost destinations. Their accounts show they made a pre-tax losses of £7.1m in the year to March 2013 and another £6.5m the previous year. Earlier this week, Norwegian Airlines said it was withdrawing its route to Copenhagen.
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Wandsworth Council vows to fight Heathrow night flight threat
Wandsworth Council says it has vowed to fight plans by the Airports Commission to increase the number of night flights over London. The Government’s second stage consultation on a new night flight regime proposes no significant changes to the existing rules despite new evidence on the health and social impacts of sleep deprivation caused by aircraft noise. The consultation documents say the Airports Commission will make recommendations for night flights in its final report in 2015. Flightpath communities in Battersea and Putney already suffer an average 16 early morning arrivals before 6am. Theycomplain bitterly about these pre 6am flights (classified as night flights) and suffer from sleep deprivation and fatigue which affects their work and undermines their quality of life. The DfT's own impact assessments link prolonged exposure to night flights to serious health problems including cardiovascular disease, strokes and hypertension. The Commission's first report uses the outdated ‘57 decibel’ Leq metric to define aircraft noise impacts. That has infuriated noise campaigners who claim it grossly underestimates a flightpath noise footprint, and does not properly represent the noise experienced. The Commission will now look at some more effective metrics
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Stewart Wingate tells Scottish business leaders a 2nd Gatwick runway would be better for Scottish travellers
Gatwick airport is working hard on its PR to win support for its runway bid. It has recruited a number of agencies to help with this, and is reputed to be spending some £10 million on its public relations. It is lobbying London councils that oppose expansion at Heathrow, on the principle that "my enemy's enemy is my friend." Now Stewart Wingate has told a meeting of business people in Scotland that expanding Gatwick could be better for the Scottish economy than expanding Heathrow. He is announcing a new study into airport expansion and Scottish connectivity, commissioned through Northpoint Aviation, that considers levels of access and demand today, and the impact of expanding Gatwick on Scotland. Gatwick plans to return to Scotland in due course, with more details and to lobby for support. Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are working hard to ensure that capacity constraints in the South-east don't limit our future ability to access such vital national and international markets, and in the short-term this remains an issue." Spending more on PR, Gatwick's media relations manager, Heather Griffiths, said consumer perceptions were an "important strand" in the broader comms effort on their runway bid.
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Better noise metrics than the discredited Leq to be used by Airports Commission in appraising short-listed runway schemes
In a blog, John Stewart says that at long last - and not before time - the Airports Commission is now considering improving on the Leq system. In the past, aircraft noise has been measured and averaged out, to give an Leq figure. This has been convenient to the aviation industry, as it gives an unrepresentative reflection of the reality of the noise, as experienced by those living below flight paths and being disturbed. For example, by averaging noise events over a period it is possible to claim that one Concorde flying overhead is the same, in noise terms, as having a Boeing 757 flying overhead, every 2 minutes, for almost 4 hours. Clearly that is not a sensible noise metric to use, when deciding to inflict more aircraft noise on thousands of people. The 57Leq contours have always been used to produce contours, in theory indicating where the noise is "annoying". Now the Commission will be also using other metrics – and require the promoters of the short-listed schemes to use them. One is Lden, where noise is measured over a 12 hour day; a 4 hour evening; and an 8 hour night; with 5 and 10 decibels being added to the evening and night levels respectively to reflect the lower background noise levels at these times. And a 54 db LAeq metric. And N70 – which measures the number of aircraft above 70 decibels passing overhead.
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EU’s aviation emissions ETS law ‘puts Europe’s global power to the test’, MEPs say
Euractiv reports that members of the European Parliament and industry representatives say the ETS for aviation is rapidly turning into a “political question of the EU’s influence on the world stage”. There will be a key vote by the European Parliament's environment committee on 30th January. The Parliament's rapporteur on aviation ETS, Peter Liese MEP, has threatened to block the EU's efforts to amend the existing legislation if the EC does not mention which countries have undermined the ETS so far. There remain foreign carriers operating intra-EU flights without paying their ETS share, including Air China (Athens - Munich) and China Eastern (Frankfurt - Hamburg) and even intra-German ones. Airbus stakeholder states – the UK, France and Germany – have surrendered to “economic blackmail” from China, which threatened to no longer buy Airbus planes if the EU carried on with its legislation. Peter Liese is pushing the EC to shorten its current 2020 deadline and revert to a full-scope ETS from 2016, if no agreement on global measures is found in ICAO. T&E commented that "Pursuing anything less than coverage of emissions in EU airspace is environmentally unacceptable. At the same time, not enforcing the existing ETS sends a clear signal to third countries that EU sovereignty doesn't matter and it won't advance efforts to secure agreement on global measures either."
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Campaigners target airport investors to warn them off risky investment in politically undeliverable 3rd Heathrow runway
Heathrow's investors are to be targeted as part of a campaign by residents, MPs and local authorities who argue a 3rd runway in west London will be “politically undeliverable”. Campaigners will highlight the potential risk to shareholders of spending millions of pounds developing detailed plans for a new runway, when they are likely to face the same level of fierce and determined opposition that led to a previous scheme being ditched in 2010. MPs, local authorities and anti-Heathrow campaigners have met to draw up a plan of attack. These include Zac Goldsmith MP, John McDonnell MP, representatives of Richmond, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Wandsworth councils and HACAN. The main shareholders at Heathrow now are Spanish infrastructure group Ferrovial (25%), Qatar Holding LLC (20.00%), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (13.29%), the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (11.88%), Alinda Capital Partners (11.18%), China Investment Corporation (10%) and Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) (8.65%). The 3rd runway is also strongly opposed by Boris Johnson. Daniel Moylan, the Mayor's chief aviation adviser, said: “The Mayor shares HACAN’s view that the expansion of Heathrow is neither acceptable nor politically deliverable.” A report by KPMG for the Airports Commission indicated the funding problems for either a new Heathrow, or a Gatwick, runway.
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Taxpayers to cover Heathrow’s £160 million contribution to Crossrail – CAA claims Heathrow doesn’t need more passengers coming by rail
Plans for the £14.8 billion Crossrail line across London originally envisaged - in 2008 - a £230 million contribution from Heathrow, to reflect the benefit it is expected to gain from the link to central London, Maidenhead, and Brentwood. But now it emerges that the taxpayer must cover a £160 million shortfall, which Heathrow will now not pay. Now Heathrow will only pay £70 million. [Heathrow is pushing hard for a 3rd runway - surely if it got that, it would need all the rail passengers from Crossrail that it can get]. The CAA has said that with the airport already running at or near capacity, (it is not at capacity for terminal space, only runway space) Crossrail would deliver no net benefit in terms of additional passengers. After the CAA set aside a provisional pot of £100 million to pay towards Crossrail, the DfT lowered its proposal to £137 million, and now down to £70 million. The National Audit Office said the shortfall means that the DfT’s contribution to the project will rise from £4.8 billion to almost £5 billion; but this remains inside the £5.2 billion set aside in case it failed to secure sufficient funding from private sources. Crossrail is now half built and is due to open by December 2019. It will run from Maidenhead, via Heathrow, out to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east.
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Gatwick new runway would increase likelihood of more local flooding along River Mole
A paper has been prepared for GACC by the distinguished naturalist and author Jeremy Early. It shows why Gatwick - and towns downstream - are liable to flood. And that the situation would be made worse by the construction of a new runway and associated infrastructure. Jeremy points out that Gatwick has areas of higher land in its vicinity, which increase the amount of rainfall that has to be drained away. In addition the huge amount of development locally consisting of impermeable surfaces, makes the flooding in several parts of Crawley, other local villages, and at Gatwick Airport understandable. Jeremy points out that Crawley is built on a floodplain and the Environment Agency has said: ‘The decision to site Gatwick Airport across 3 watercourses means that it is vulnerable to flooding from all 3 watercourses as well as local drainage. Run-off from main airfield paving flows by gravity to a storage pond and is then discharged by pumps directly to the River Mole." They consider the chance of the North Terminal flooding again to be high (about 8% chance). The report considers it misguided to plan to use 900 hectares of greenfield site to create a 2nd runway involving a vast quantity of impermeable surfaces, not to mention associated infrastructure, roads, homes etc.
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WWF’s “One in Five” challenge has cut corporate flights by their participating firms by 38% over 3 years
New results from WWF’s "One in Five Challenge", a programme to help organisations cut 20% of flights within 5 years in favour of lower-carbon ways of staying connected, show that some of the UK’s leading companies have cut flights by 38% and flight expenditure by 42% over a 3-year period, saving them over £2 million and over 3,000 tonnes of carbon. Organisations that have achieved the One in Five Challenge, include BskyB, BT, Capgemini, Lloyds TSB, Microsoft UK, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Vodafone. The Challenge has helped companies to make significant inroads into cutting their costs and carbon from business travel and to change their business travel behaviour in favour of alternatives such as rail and video-conferencing. These results, together with other WWF-UK analysis which shows a significant, long-term decline in business flying in the UK, point to a permanent change in meeting and travel practices, questioning the business case for UK airport expansion. Having developed the One in Five Challenge and run it successfully for over 4 years, WWF is handing "One in Five" to Global Action Plan (GAP), the UK’s leading environmental behaviour change charity helping business to reduce environmental impact.
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EU’s new climate and energy package – to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2030
The European Commission has announced new energy and climate targets for the EU. It has 3 current targets - on (1) greenhouse gases, (2) renewable energy, and (3) energy efficiency - to see it through to 2020. The current announcement is about what the EU would do to 2030. Carbon Brief gives a handy short summary of the key points. (1) The target for cutting EU carbon (excluding international aviation and shipping, and embodied carbon in imports) is for a 40% cut by 2030. This will have to be done by the member states' cutting emissions at home, instead of funding projects abroad as offsets. This target is weaker than many green campaigners had called for, but stronger than the alternatives that some member states and commissioners were championing right to the final stages of the negotiations. The 40% is not ambitious, but it might be considered to be broadly in line with the EU's longer term target to reduce emissions by 80% of their 1990 level by 2050. However it is not enough to help prevent the world warming by 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels - the minimum level of ambition agreed by 192 countries in 1992. Others suggest the level should be a 55% cut, or more, by 2050 to make a serious contribution. Aviation needs to play its part in this, rather than being allowed to increase its carbon emissions.
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More problems for aviation in the EU ETS as France, UK and Germany will not enforce sanctions for non- compliance
German centre-right MEP Peter Liese, the European Parliament’s environment committee rapporteur, wants the European Parliament to refuse to ratify proposed changes to the law on the ETS unless member states start enforcing the existing law. He is supported in this by both the environmental groups, who want better control of aviation carbon emissions, and from a very different perspective, the European Low Fare Airlines Association, which fears that if non-EU airlines are not forced to pay for carbon permits, while EU airlines are, they will be at a competitive disadvantage. Since the freeze ("stop the clock") ended in October, the Commission proposed to change the legislation so that only the portions of flights taking place within EU airspace would be charged. But France, Germany and the UK are pushing to exempt until 2016 all emissions from any flight that enters or leaves EU airspace. At present the EU is not charging foreign airlines for the flights they operate within EU airspace. These flights are mostly American and Chinese. Liese wants the Parliament to withhold its backing until the regulators start punishing the foreign airlines for not paying their ETS charges. And to do it before May - Germany and France don't want to do this.
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Branson’s plans for “space travel” progress – for the privileged mega-rich
The plan to take tourists up on joy-rides virtually into space must be one of the most environmentally irresponsible around. Perhaps indicative of a society that has lost sight of the concept of living within environmental limits, using resources wisely, and not flaunting excessive wealth. But space travel is what Branson plans. It is reported that Virgin's "Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo," VSS Enterprise, has just completed its third test flight. It has now reached the altitude of 13.5 miles or 71,000ft, but in order to be considered to be at the edge of the earth's atmosphere, it needs to get up to 62 miles or 328,084ft above the earth (called the Kármán line). These trips planned by Richard Branson are purely for "space tourists" and only those with exceptional wealth would be able to afford them, so it will be rich celebrities and rich business people only. The price is likely to be around £152,000 for a return ticket to the edge of space. Conspicuous consumption gone mad. This is a Branson PR statement: “2014 will be the year when we will finally put our beautiful spaceship in her natural environment of space.” They hope to reach the Kármán line this spring, and begin commercial operations later in 2014.
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Ryanair to target business travellers in 2014 – to doubt it has the right network of business destinations
Ryanair has announced plans to target business travellers in 2014, with a new “business product” coming in the next few weeks, and the appointment of a dedicated sales leader. They will be adding a new section to their website for groups and corporate travellers, and will offer them flexible tickets, reserved seating and fast-track through selected airports. Ryanair hopes to muscle into this market, offering lower charges to those travelling on business. However, critics in the field of buying business travel say Ryanair must start flying to more business destinations if they’re going to make a “serious dent” in the corporate travel market. At present Ryanair is at a disadvantage because from London it only operates out of Stansted and does not fly to many business destinations. There are not many frequent UK business travellers who will fly from Stansted. Until Ryanair have good networks and business destinations, they are unlikely to make a serious dent in the corporate market. Ryanair has copied easyJet, which got the idea of getting into business travel first. They have been "getting rather jealous” of it. However, a commentator experienced in buying business travel commented that easyJet now have a "good business product, especially with the adding of new routes to Brussels, Paris and Moscow." Ryanair will have a struggle to catch up.
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Birmingham airport hands out £13 million share dividend to Birmingham City Council
Birmingham Airport managed to handle 9,119,709 passengers in 2013, which was the highest since 2008 and up + 2.3% compared to 2012. The 2013 number is still around 4.7% lower than the 2008 peak, but has been growing slowly since 2010. Most passengers continue to be on leisure trips, including long haul leisure, for example to Barbados and Gambia (those "seeking some winter sun over the Christmas break"). The airport hopes its runway extension will open during 2014, enabling flights by larger planes to long haul destinations. More passengers travel out from the area, on holiday trips, than travel in though the airport wants to attract more visitors from South-east Asia. Birmingham City Council, with 6 other West Midlands local authorities, owns 49% of the airport and has been handed a £13 million dividend after the airport had a "successful" year and reappraised its finances after the imminent completion of the runway extension. This will help fund the £5 million budget black hole in Birmingham’s 39 leisure centres and swimming pools. Birmingham and the other councils had earlier agreed to sacrifice dividend payments to help fund the £33 million runway scheme, and are now set to be rewarded for their generosity.
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Arguments for and against a 2nd Gatwick runway, with benefits exaggerated and problems minimised by some proponents
In a long article covering a number of issues about Gatwick airport and its short-listed runway proposal, the local paper - the Argos - puts some of the points in favour of, and against, the runway. Those in favour of the airport are trying to play down the number of new houses that would be needed in the area, saying the estimate of 40,000 is too high. They claim there will not be as large a noise problem as there would be at Heathrow, and that there would be huge economic benefits. Opponents of the new runway, led by GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) say that expanding Gatwick would be bad news for everyone within a 20-mile radius of the airport, and would affect around 18,000 homes. "... a new runway is not just a strip of concrete but would mean twice as many aircraft in the sky, twice the pollution, twice the climate change damage, twice the noise, and new flight paths over peaceful areas." In making Gatwick larger than Heathrow is today, it would lead to the urbanisation of much of Sussex. A new runway would mean more people coming to live in Sussex, more new companies, existing firms expanding ... but "for most ordinary people living in the area at present there would be no economic benefit, just longer queues at road junctions, longer queues at the doctors and at the hospitals, larger classes for their children, more noise, and fewer green fields."
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Spelthorne Council Leader admits Heathrow expansion ‘not an easy issue’ while continuing support for 3rd runway, not in his constituency
Support for the expansion of Heathrow has been reaffirmed by Spelthorne Borough Council. The decision to maintain its stance, held since 2008, when the authority withdrew from the 2M group of councils including Richmond, Hounslow and Hillingdon who opposed Heathrow expansion, was made at an extraordinary council meeting on January 16th. The meeting was called following the publication of the Airports Commission interim report on 17th December, short-listing 2 runway options at Heathrow. for an extended northern runway and the airport’s own plan of demolishing medieval villages to the north to build a third runway. Heathrow's own proposal is for a runway to the north-west, which does not affect Spelthorne (to the south) very much. It would mean demolition of Harmodsworth, or making it near impossible to live in. Spelthorne Council leader Robert Watts said: “Expanding airports is challenging. .... This is not an easy issue.” Spelthorne has always supported Heathrow expansion. In 2012 their own MP even advocated demolishing part of his borough, to build a runway - till he realised it was not a local vote-winner.
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“Cut Tourism VAT” campaign wants tax cut from 20% to 5% on UK tourism to boost tourism jobs and earnings
Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, is campaigning for a cut in the rate of VAT on UK tourism. She hopes that more tourism for her constituency would be of benefit, and also for the tourism industry across the country. She has had meetings with other MPs and industry leaders, hosted by the "Cut Tourism VAT campaign." Caroline has asked the Treasury to cut the rate of VAT on UK tourism from 20% to 5%, arguing that it would create jobs, and end the competitive disadvantage currently facing the UK tourism industry in the European market. She is also seeking to secure a parliamentary debate on the issue. The UK is one of only four countries in the EU with no reduced rate of VAT on tourism. The others are Slovakia, Lithuania and Denmark. A 2011 report by Deloitte and Touche found that a 5% reduction in VAT would deliver £2.6 billion in extra revenue to the Treasury over a decade, and create 80,000 jobs over two to three years. The "Cut Tourism VAT campaign" is initially calling for a reduction for accommodation and attractions, but would ultimately want to extend the cut to restaurants (excluding alcoholic drinks).
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CAA provisional UK airport data for 2013 shows very small (around 0.4%) rise in ATMs & around 3% rise in air passengers
The CAA has published its provisional airport figures for 2013, but not all have yet been submitted so the final totals are only approximate. NATS said there had been 0.4% more flights in 2013 than there were in 2012. The number of air passengers is around 3% higher than in 2012. At Heathrow passengers were up + 3.4%. At Gatwick passengers were up by + 3.5%. At Manchester they were up + 5.2%; up +2.2% at Stansted (first increase for 5 years); up + 6.3% at Edinburgh; up + 0.8% at Luton; up + 2.3% at Birmingham; up + 2.9% at Glasgow; up + 3.5% at Bristol; up + 1.4% at Newcastle; up + 6.4% at East Midlands; up + 3.4% at Aberdeen; up + 11.6% at Leeds Bradford; up + 13.2% at Belfast City airport; and up + 57.2% at Southend. Almost all airports grew, even most of the small ones. But there were a few declines in the number of passengers. Passengers decreased by - 6.1% at Liverpool; by - 6.7% at Belfast International; and by - 4.5% at Bournemouth. The number of flights grew much less than the number of passengers, as some larger planes were used, and airlines got higher load factors. The number of Air Transport Movements at Heathrow was down - 0.4% compared to 2012; at Gatwick it rose by + 1.6%. ATMs were up + 0.4% at Manchester; up + 0.6% at Stansted; up + 1.1% at Edinburgh; and up + 0.4% at Glasgow.
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Boris Johnson accused by Sir Howard Davies of ‘Vulgar Abuse’ over backing Heathrow not Thames estuary plans
Sir Howard Davies has criticised Boris for his use of "colourful language" and accused him of failing to "illuminate" the debate on airport expansion following the publication of the Airports Commission's interim findings on 17th December. Boris is fiercely opposed to the possibility of increasing capacity at Heathrow and branded the Airports Commission report, which short-listed the option, as "gloopy and tangled", "perplexing" and "biased". Sir Howard dismissed Boris', insisting the criticisms were at odds with transport experts, and said he would "press on with the job". Asked about the comments at the Transport Select Committee, the commission chairman replied: "He would say that wouldn't he?.... Unfortunately, as far as the Mayor is concerned we don't seem to have produced the answer he wants us to produce. We will proceed with our analysis in the way we have been asked to do. "The Mayor has a particular view about hub capacity and a particular view about Heathrow and that's where he starts and that's where he ends. "Anything that is at variance with that is dismissed. Personally I don't think it is at all helpful that he uses this rather colourful language but I guess that is a matter of style." Sir Howard said: "So, I will attempt to rise above this vulgar abuse and press on with the job."
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Legal challenge against Lydd airport expansion plans at the High Court by RSPB and LAAG this week
A legal challenge to the decision to allow expansion at Lydd in Kent is being heard on 21st and 22nd January, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. A public inquiry was held into the applications by Lydd Airport in 2011 at which the RSPB raised concerns about the impact an expansion would have on the nearby protected wildlife area of Dungeness. The inspector found in favour of the airport’s proposals – and his report was subsequently endorsed by the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government and for Transport. After careful consideration the RSPB issued a legal challenge to the final decision based on the inspector’s report. The RSPB believes the stakes are too high to risk the future of one of the UK's best and most important places for nature without testing the basis for this decision which they consider to be flawed. Dungeness is one of the most important wildlife sites in the world and it is protected at global, European and UK levels. It is home to many threatened species and is also a crossroads for migrating birds stopping off on migration. The Lydd Airport Action Group (LAAG) have a separate appeal which will be heard after that of the RSPB. They have concerns about the airport's proximity to the nuclear power station. LAAG did not want to disclose further details of its case until the court hearing.
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Boeing hoping to convert “green” diesel into jet fuel and BIOJet Abu Dhabi launched to produce UAE jet biofuels
Boeing is now aiming to use biofuels currently put into so-called "green" diesel into aircraft fuel. One Boeing official called the revelation a "major breakthrough" in the industry's quest to wean itself off fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions. It is, in reality, nothing of the sort. Immense amounts of biofuel are already grown, most of it competing with food crops, to put into road vehicle engines. There will not be sufficient land area on which to feed humanity, as well as its road vehicles, and now aviation getting into the act, in order to get some "green" PR benefits. Boeing says "Unlike some other alternative fuels, green diesel is already being produced on a relatively large scale and, with current government subsidies, is cost-competitive with traditional jet fuel, called Jet-A." In practice all sources of oils and fats which could genuinely be classed as sustainable have alternative markets already. If aviation takes these, the other users will be forced to use less "sustainable" fuels through knock-on effects. In addition a new initiative to support an aviation biofuel industry in the United Arab Emirates, BIOjet Abu Dhabi, has been announced one day after Etihad Airways conducted a demonstration flight with a Boeing 777 powered in part by the first UAE-produced biokerosene from an unspecified "innovative plant biomass-processing technology."
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Scale of taxpayer contribution needed for Heathrow or Gatwick runways shown up in KPMG report for Airports Commission
A report dated December 2013 by accountants, KPMG, for the Airports Commission, says a 3rd runway at Heathrow could require £11.5bn of government support, (ie. money from the taxpayer) while a 2nd runway at Gatwick may need as much as £17.7bn of taxpayer contributions. An airport in the Thames Estuary would need even more from the taxpayer - maybe £64 billion. The report contradict claims by airport operators that an extra runway could be financed either exclusively or predominantly by the private sector. Gatwick has said it could build a 2nd runway for £5bn to £9bn with no government aid. Heathrow has raised the prospect of £4bn to £6bn of taxpayer support to improve rail and road links, but has argued that a 3rd runway, at a cost of £17bn, would be largely funded by the private sector. The KPMG analysis also highlights the potential burden of building a new runway on passengers, who would pay higher ticket prices. KPMG says these would have to rise by 136% at Gatwick to repay the money borrowed. That would mean charges at Gatwick rising by 2.5% above inflation every year from 2019 to 2050. At Heathrow charges would need to rise by 13% initially and then by 2.5% above inflation. Repaying the money takes till 2050. Unless charges for passengers rise enough, the public (many of whom do not fly) will have to stump up the funds.
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Airports Commission has published 4 sets of airport level passenger forecasts 2011 to 2050
The Airports Commission is basing its advice to the government, that a new runway is needed over coming decades (not in the short term) on future passenger forecasts. In its Interim Report, on 17th December, the Commission set out its thinking on forecasts, with and without more runway capacity (no new runways, or one or two more) both with current theoretical constraints like the EU Emissions Trading System, and with more stringent controls to actually attempt to limit UK aviation emissions to their 2005 level, by 2050 - though allowing them to rise higher than that level in the interim. The Commission has now released its forecasts for its 4 scenarios, a matrix of carbon traded and carbon capped, with capacity constrained by no new runway, and with a new runway. They have also published estimates for Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Schiphol airports, from 2011 to 2050. At the extremes the forecasts range from UK air passengers by 2050 being between 178% to 199% higher in 2050 than in 2013. The figures range, for Heathrow, from passengers being 127% to 195% higher in 2050 than in 2013. For Gatwick the forecasts range from 136% to 153% higher in 2050 than in 2013.
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Airports Commission now consulting on Thames estuary airport options – deadlines 14th February and 23rd May
On 16th January the Airports Commission published its consultations on Thames estuary airport options. It did not short-list an estuary option, in its interim report on 17th December. Now there will be a first consultation, ending on 14th February on four options in the inner estuary. The Commission are asking for comments on its current position on the proposed terms of reference, especially if they contain gaps or weaknesses and whether other specific analyses need to be undertaken. There will be a second deadline date, ending on 23rd May, on an inner Thames proposal in which respondents are invited to submit analysis, evidence, and additional research or comments. The Commission says this will give sufficient time to ensure that appropriate evidence can be considered to inform the final study outputs before the studies are concluded and published. The Commission says it "expects to procure expert assistance from consultants in environmental appraisal and technical support; in the provision of engineering, airport operations and logistics consultancy and in the provision of economic modelling, commercial and financial appraisal." Presumably at public expense (the Commission has a budget of £20.35 million over 4 years, from DfT). "The Commission expects to be in a position to publish many of the study outputs by July 2014, to ensure that any further evidence from interested parties is taken into account before a decision is made in September." Final public consultation on the schemes starts in October.
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TESTRAD questions Airports Commission decision to rule out their “London Britannia” estuary airport
TESTRAD (the Thames Estuary Research and Development Company has appealed to the Airports Commission for more information on how it reached its decision not to short-list a Thames Estuary Airport. The TESTRAD CEO Bridget Rosewell has written to Sir Howard Davies, saying they are "concerned about the adequacy of the assessment upon which the Commission has based its conclusions for the final short-list”. Sir Howard said that seeing merit for potential to boost economic development to the east of London and reduce noise over the Capital, the Commission would undertake further assessment of its own for a potential airport on the Estuary's Isle of Grain. A decision on whether to include it on the short-list will be made by "late summer" in time for the consultation on the chosen options in October. At the RunwaysUK conference, the Grain possibility was discussed and it was clear that arguments against it were hugely stronger than those for it. It makes little practical, economic or environmental sense. Bridget Rosewell and her team want clarification on why TESTRAD's and other Estuary proposals were deemed "not credible". She also says some projects (Heathrow?) were given preferential access to the Commission and wants details of those meetings.
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RunwaysUK conference shows up the Gatwick/Heathrow battle and the hub+spoke/point-to-point future of air travel
A new alliance, called RunwaysUK, intends to hold a large conference once a year, to bring together everyone involved in trying to get more UK runways built. Their first conference took place in London on 16th January, and was attended by several hundred people, largely from business and the aviation industry. Not surprisingly their focus was on how desirable building at least one new runway would be. More than one ideally. Over a long day, with a tight schedule of speakers and question sessions (ably held together by Kirsty Wark), a lot of arguments took place, and a lot of points were made. The first item was a speech by Sir Howard Davies, Chairman of the Airports Commission, and the launch of the appraisal framework consultation, which will determine the criteria on which runway proposals will be considered. During the day the battle between Heathrow and Gatwick was repeatedly demonstrated, as were the issues of whether UK aviation is more likely to be based more on low cost, point to point flights, or on the hub and spoke model. There was debate on the Thames estuary, and the Airports Commission confirmed that this option will be given further consideration, perhaps to be added by late summer. Below is some of the press coverage of the conference.
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Airports Commission launches 6 week consultation on appraisal framework for short-listed runway schemes
The Chairman of the Airports Commission, Sir Howard Davies, launched the most recent consultation by the Commission, at the RunwaysUK conference on 16th January. This consultation is on its appraisal framework, and ends on 28th February. The aim is to set out how the runway schemes it short-listed (2 at Heathrow, one at Gatwick and the possibility one for the Isle of Grain will be added by late summer 2014) will be assessed in terms of social, economic and environmental criteria. A summary of responses will be published within 3 months of the consultation closing. The document is 127 pages long, requiring detailed and carefully considered responses. On environmental matters, the Commission lists their objectives, for appraisal of schemes, to include: minimising noise impacts; protecting local air quality; minimising CO2 emissions in airport construction and operation (not from flights); protecting quality of ground and surface water, using water efficiently and reducing flood risk; and minimising impacts on existing landscape character and heritage assets. Under the heading "People" their objectives are to maintain and where possible improve the quality of life for local residents; manage and reduce the effects of housing loss on local communities; and reduce or avoid disproportionate impacts on any social group. They also ask: Are there any other objectives that the Commission should consider, and if so what are they?
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Heathrow to hold 6 week consultation (starting 3rd Feb) with households on their north-west runway plan
Heathrow will start a six week consultation with local households on 3rd February, lasting till 17th March. It will ask for their views on Heathrow's own short-listed north-west third runway plan. The airport wants to get its application as acceptable as possible to locals, to give it more chance of being permitted. "The results will help Heathrow understand what is most important to local residents and will be used to refine the runway proposal before it is resubmitted to the Airports Commission in May." The consultation will be by post, and will be sent to the 120,000 households and businesses likely to be most impacted by the proposed plans. Those outside this area will have the opportunity to share their views online. There will also be drop-in events in nine local areas, to give people the chance to ask questions and "influence the plans." The results will be shared with the Airports Commission, as part of Heathrow's evidence. Heathrow knows that the issue of noise is key, and they will fail in their runway plans if there is strong enough opposition by enough people, on noise. They are hoping "mitigation" measures will be enough to reduce opposition. In reality people from huge areas of London, currently hardly affected by Heathrow aircraft noise, would be affected by this runway.
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Local Surrey Guardian newspaper asks: “Was Leatherhead sacrificed in the floods to save Gatwick?”
After exceptionally heavy rain and wind on 23rd December, Gatwick airport had serious problems with unexpected flooding, with many flights cancelled or delayed. It is still unclear to what extent actions taken at the airport to divert water from its holding ponds and prevent the airport from flooding meant more water surged down the River Mole, making flooding worse downstream in areas such as Dorking and Cobham. It is understood that investigations are under way, and councillors for Leatherhead are seeking clarifications from the airport. The local press reported that an Environment Agency spokesman had said that Gatwick airport are constructing a further water storage reservoir directly on the Gatwick stream. The Gatwick Stream, where river levels rose rapidly, meets the River Mole south of Horley. Flooded residents feared that the contents of Gatwick airport’s balancing ponds may have been dumped into the River Mole and sluice gates further down were not opened in time.
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London Assembly Votes Against Heathrow Airport Expansion
The London Assembly has voted against the expansion of Heathrow and proposed greater use of existing airports in the south-east. They passed a motion -by 13 votes to 7 in response to the Airports Commission's Interim Report recommendation (17th December) that two options for a new Heathrow 3rd runway would be short-listed. Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Assembly, who proposed the motion, said: “Airport capacity in London is currently underused; in fact some London airports have more than half of their runway slots free. Rather than inflict further misery on the residents of west London, the Airports Commission should rule out expansion of Heathrow and focus on better use of capacity at other south-east airports.” The motion backed the Commission's proposals for improving ground transport links to existing airports. Tony Arbour, Conservative London Assembly Member for Richmond and Hounslow, proposed an amendment which said there should be a categorical opposition to any additional flights at Heathrow. He said the Lib Dem motion, which recognised the need for more airport capacity in the south-east, “opens the door for dual use of runways at Heathrow which will increase noise for millions of Londoners." All those voting against the motion were Tories.
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Kent villagers oppose Gatwick flight path proposals
Residents in parts of west Kent are opposing proposals to change the flight paths at Gatwick Airport. NATS is consulting over changes to flight paths using Gatwick, which they say will reduce delays and improve efficiency. The proposals could mean up to 28 flights an hour over places like Hever, Chiddingstone, and Sevenoaks Weald. NATS claims changes to flight paths are needed, and they want to create a network with planes flying on specific routes, similar to a motorway. That may mean less noise for some people, but it will mean a lot more for those who find themselves directly under one of the routes chosen for intensive use and much more air traffic. Government guidance is for aircraft noise to affect as few people as possible (there are therefore fewer complaints) but that means an unfair amount of noise for an unlucky minority, who happen to live in the wrong place.People living in Weald village, not far from Sevenoaks, fear that there could be up to 20 flights an hour going over the village, at a height of under 4,000ft (1,200m). The noise of each could be up to 70 decibels, "which is the same as being next to a vacuum cleaner." The changes are to allow the airport to grow.
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“Biodiversity offsetting” is not the silver bullet solution this government hopes will overcome destruction of valued natural habitats
The UK government hopes it has found a way to develop, over countryside and habitats, destroying them and yet claiming no wildlife or habitat has been lost. The neat trick is "biodiversity offsetting", which is claimed to be a market mechanism that will allow developments to flourish while protecting the environment. In simple terms, if you destroy ancient woodlands, wildlife and vital habitats in one place, you have to pay to create it in another. Green NGOs across the UK see this, in reality, as a license to trash national parks, farmland, ancient woods, village greens etc. Rather than replacing habitat with its exact equivalent, a generally lower quality area might be created. By loosening planning laws, biodiversity offsetting becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. As development projects increase, so biodiversity decreases – and becomes more important. The record of biodiversity offsetting from other countries is usually one of failure. It may be as little as one third of schemes that succeed. These schemes should not be done at the expense of destroying existing biodiversity, in the uncertain hope that will be recreated elsewhere, somewhere more convenient for the developers.
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Government takes ‘nuclear option’ with new planning laws to force councils to approve applications
The Coalition government is preparing to mount a fresh assault on planning laws by giving developers the power to push though applications without the need for council approval or environmental assessments. In a move described by planning experts as a "nuclear option", developers will be allowed to ignore local authorities if they delay decisions on conditions attached to planning applications. The Coalition is also planning to remove the need for developers to assess the impact of some large housing estates, shopping centres and industrial estates (maybe including runways?) on the countryside. Opponents fear the reforms could see local communities "held to ransom" by developers and force councils to "wave through" unpopular planning applications. There is real fear that irreversible harm is being done to the countryside, and habitats, and that the Coalition's planning reforms could become "the defining legacy of this government." The Coalition will unveil a package of measures in April which will give developers new powers to ignore councils and push ahead with new housing. The new legislation will mean that planning applications will be automatically approved if councils "fail to discharge a condition in time".
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Building a vast new airport on the Isle of Grain would close Southend Airport
If a large new airport is built on the Isle of Grain, Kent, as London Mayor Boris Johnson has suggested, a clash of air space would mean Southend Airport – and City Airport in London - would probably need to close, the Airports Commission has warned in its Interim Statement. They said this could reduce the options available to low cost airlines and reduce the overall gains to airport capacity over the London area overall. They said that, in particular, it would be very challenging to manage the airspace with the 3 airports. Due to last-minute lobbying by the Mayor and Daniel Moylan, the Commission agreed to look at the £112 billion Isle of Grain scheme, put forward by Wembley Stadium designer Lord Norman Foster in more detail,in the first half of 2014, before deciding whether it should be included in the final short-list consultation starting in October. Southend airport has been emphasising how much money they have already invested in the airport. Nigel Holdcroft, leader of Southend Council, said: “The development of a major airport on the Isle of Grain would have adverse economic and environmental effects on Southend."
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Boeing 787 aircraft grounded after battery (overheating?) problem in Japan
A year after after JAL and ANA Holdings grounded their Dreamliner fleets after separate issues with batteries overheating, there has been another battery fire incident. In 2013 all of Boeing 787s were then taken out of service for over 3 months while the plane manufacturer sought a fix for the problem. Engineers doing maintenance on a parked 787, with no passengers on board,noticed smoke or gases venting from the battery compartment.There were also warning lights that flashed, signalling a battery fault. The smoke vented from the plane and a battery cell showed signs of melting. JAL said on checking the battery, encased in steel containment box, they found 1 of 8 cells had leaked a liquid. A relief valve designed to open when pressure rises inside a cell had opened,The plane remains grounded but the other 787s owned by ANA are continuing to operate normally. The issue of who will pay for any losses incurred by keeping the jet from flying will be determined after the plane is back in the air, said a spokesman for Japan Airlines, which operates 13 Dreamliners. Eight airlines have 787s. The battery problems and groundings were expensive for Boeing last year. The cause of the battery problems has not been determined, but changes were made to enclose the batteries better.
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Heathrow had 3.4% more passengers in 2013 than in 2012. Gatwick had 3.6% more.
Heathrow and Gatwick have both reported growth in passenger numbers for 2013. Traffic at Heathrow reached 72.3 million, an increase of 3.4% on 2012, Aircraft movements totalled 469,552 for the year at Heathrow, which was down 0.4% on 2012. Colin Matthews used the figures as another opportunity to put in a plug for another Heathrow runway, saying Heathrow is full [but it keeps adding passengers - its terminals are not full, though its runways are nearly full] and so Heathrow has to watch other European airports adding more flights. Heathrow said BRIC passengers were up 6.9% over the year, with China up 18.9%, and India up 8.7%. Meanwhile at Gatwick traffic reached 35.4 million passengers in 2013, an increase of 3.6% on 2012. Gatwick's aircraft movements totalled 244,552, which was a rise of 1.6% on 2012. Gatwick said its European routes were the main source of its growth, and they were increasing the number of long-haul routes, with more flights to Dubai. There will be a daily A380 service to Dubai from Gatwick from March.” Gatwick had fewer charter flights to European leisure destinations, reflecting the longer-term market move towards scheduled, low cost airlines.Heathrow load factor was 76.4% and Gatwick's 79.4%.
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Lydd Airport: Legal challenge to expansion plans at High Court on 23rd and 24th January 2014
A legal challenge to the government's decision to allow the expansion of Lydd Airport in Kent is to be heard at the High Court on on 23rd and 24th January. The £25m project includes a runway extension of almost 300m (328yds) and a new terminal building. The airport site is close to the Dungeness nuclear plant, an RSPB nature reserve and a military range. The RSPB and Lydd Airport Action Group (LAAG) have lodged separate appeals against the expansion. After several years going through the planning process, the airport got planning permission in April 2013. LAAG has said the expansion would damage "the unique natural habitats on Romney Marsh and urbanise this important rural area". LAAG also fear that the introduction of heavy aircraft such as the Boeing 737s "raised the probability of an aircraft accident at the Dungeness nuclear power complex leading to a serious radiological release to unacceptably high levels". The RSPB said Dungeness was "one of the most important wildlife sites in the world and protected at global, European and UK levels".
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The world does not end in 2100. Why do we ignore future generations, when it comes to climate change?
In a blog for Business Green, James Murray writes on the important - and generally ignored - topic of human myopia when it comes to considering future generations, and what the impact of our current actions will be on them. Most climate models indicate that by 2100 the global temperature may be 4-6C higher than now. "But the world will not end in 2100. Unless we get a handle on climate change in the next few decades we risk bequeathing the next century environmental challenges so great they will make our current problems look like the Garden of Eden. " "Projections for the 22nd Century based on business as normal emissions suggest that climate change and ocean acidification could leave generations just a few decades hence with a biosphere only science fiction directors would recognise. Does any of this matter? None of us will be around to see it and we all know that economists discount future generations." Yes, it does matter. Taking a relaxed approach to climate change and arguing "something will turn up to address the problem" is not enough. We cannot blindly take the view that the current generation must take primacy.
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Newquay Airport ‘could become a rock concert venue’ – needs to earn money to stay afloat
Newquay Airport costs owner Cornwall Council about £3m a year in subsidies. It is not likely to make much profit just from its airport activities. It is now suggested the site could be used some of the time as a venue for rock concerts to help balance the books. However, a problem is the poor road links. It might also have go-kart racing and other activities, and has in the past held car shows, eco-car races, police driver training and filming of TV and commercials. Last year passenger numbers at Newquay airport fell, for a 5th consecutive year, to 174,000, down from 431,000 in 2008/9. The airport, a former military base, was hit by Ryanair and Air Southwest pulling their flights in 2011. In autumn 2014 Newquay will lose its route to Gatwick when Flybe is set to pull out, saying the service it is not viable. The whole airport area is about 861 acres, of which some 650 acres is an Enterprise Zone and 231 acres is development land, occupied by commercial companies. 87 acres is a solar park. Newquay is also paid by the government to stay open as an emergency airfield. The runway is one of the largest in the country so any plane can land there, as one of the first possible sites for planes coming in from the west.
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Analysis shows 84m tonnes of aviation CO2 covered by EU ETS in 2012 as cargo airlines reap windfalls
According an analysis by the organisation "Sandbag", over 1,169 participating airlines and aircraft operators reported between them a total of 84 million tonnes of CO2 emissions for the first year of aviation’s inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Around 89% of eligible operators fully complied with the scheme, representing 98% of intra-EU aviation emissions. 42% of all emissions coming from just 10 EU airlines. Although the one-year ‘Stop the Clock’ (STC) derogation - which started in November 2012 - allowed operators to opt out of having to surrender allowances for extra-EU international flights, a number of major air cargo carriers based inside and outside the EU chose to comply with the full scope of the scheme, enabling them to end 2012 with a windfall, says Sandbag. Also, though the majority of operators have incurred a cost as a result of their inclusion in the EU ETS, Sandbag estimates that Europe's biggest emitter, Ryanair, stood to reap a windfall in 2012 of around €8 million through its passenger EU ETS levy. Of the 11 million offsets were surrendered, it is estimated that 5.6 million, were to CDM (Clean Development Projects) in China, while the remaining 5.3 million originated from Russia JI (joint implementation) projects – countries implacably opposed to the Aviation EU ETS.
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Redhill aerodrome hard runway Inquiry continues into second week
Plans to build a hard runway and associated infrastructure at Redhill Aerodrome have been under examination this week at a Public Inquiry. The inquiry will continue into next week. The aerodrome currently has two grass runways but the owners want a hard runway to allow for larger aircraft, longer flying hours and year-round flying. They have made a succession of planning applications, all of which have been refused. The airfield is wholly within the Green Belt and is reached by narrow, winding lanes. The vast majority of local residents oppose it, as do the local MPs, Parish Councils, conservation groups and Surrey Green Party. The Inquiry has been packed and lively. Officers from Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge Councils defended the decision to refuse the runway, and individuals and representatives of local groups raised a very wide range of reasons for objecting, including noise, traffic and road safety, disruption of views and flooding. Green Belt is a key issue, as is the importance of "localism" so if local people are strongly against a proposal, that should mean it is rejected. The Inspector's decision will be made some after the end of the inquiry.
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CAA decides on no further price regulation at Stansted, but only RPI -1.5% charges at Heathrow and more controls on Gatwick
The CAA has published its final decisions on economic regulation at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted after April 2014. They say the new situation, with each airport having a different owner, reflects the unique circumstances of individual airports. Considering the market power of each airport means passengers would not benefit from further regulation of Stansted, but that Heathrow and Gatwick will both need further airport licences from April 2014 onwards. Current landing charges are £20.71 per passenger at Heathrow and £8.80 (2014 prices) at Gatwick. CAA says: "At Heathrow, the CAA’s price control decision will see prices fall in real terms by 1.5% per year between 2014 and 2019 (RPI-1.5%). This has changed from the CAA’s Final Proposals published in October, which suggested prices rising in line with inflation. The changes have been made as passenger traffic forecasts have strengthened since October, and the cost of capital has been revised. The CAA supports more diversity in what Gatwick offers to its various airlines, so passengers receive a tailored service. It has therefore based regulation on the airport operator’s own commitments to its airline customers." Heathrow is deeply displeased. Gatwick is mildly displeased. Stansted is happy. Ryanair's share value fell. .
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Airlines hoping for rise in premium traffic in 2014 as end of recession means more corporate spend on air travel
Airlines are hoping the global economy is recovering, and continues to recover. Airlines make a disproportionate of their income from premium travel, so do all they can to compete for it. IAF and Air France-KLM have recently reported increases in their premium traffic, and a survey by "Buying Business Travel" indicated that some companies may be increasing their corporate travel budgets in 2014, and also plan to fly as much, or more, than in 2012. John Strickland, a consultant at JLS Consulting, said long-haul premium traffic should be the airline’s biggest focus - it makes most profit. He said: "Short haul is not the area where [premium travel volumes] are critical. Those glory days have gone." EasyJet and Ryanair are trying to get the price-sensitive business passengers in Europe. Traffic out of emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East and Latin American would be increasingly significant with more premium travel. There is likely to be more growth in "premium economy" which is useful for people whose budgets won’t extend to fully fledged business class. IATA premium traffic data each month indicates that the international growth is around 4 - 5% on average, with growth in 2012 of 4.8% over 2011. .
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Simon Calder: “Transit traffic and the airport problem” – transfer, hub, point-to-point ?
Simon Calder gives some insights into how airlines manage transit passengers,and "Origin & Destination" (O&D) passengers - which is at the heart of the hub / point-to-point airport question that will be influential in the Airports Commission recommendations. Heathrow and BA want a larger hub at Heathrow, so they can lay on more flights to more destinations, with higher load factors and hence more profit - by sucking in transit passengers. However, many passengers prefer to pay a bit more and fly direct, without a transit. Calder says what BA wants is for every seat on every flight from Heathrow to its long haul destinations would be filled, by people starting their journey in London ..... BA has little trouble filling the plane with O&D passengers on some days, but on others the demand simply isn't there. BA's extensive network allows it to turn transit traffic on and off like a tap, putting lots of tempting fares into the market when loads are light - or raising them. Hence fares vary hugely day to day. Calder says the biggest threat to Heathrow is now coming from Istanbul, to where direct flights using smaller 737s can connect from many UK regional airports, for onward transfers. Heathrow says a 2nd Gatwick runway would dilute transit traffic at Heathrow, making many BA routes unviable.
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Gatwick chief executive says he will spend whatever it takes to prevent flooding problems for a 2nd runway
Gatwick Airport’s chief executive has told MPs that he will spend millions to protect any future 2nd runway and the airport’s north terminal from flooding after severe weather forced its partial closure on Christmas Eve. Stewart Wingate told the parliamentary transport select committee that he was willing to make “whatever investment is necessary” on flood defences after the flooding meant some flights were moved to the south terminal or cancelled. He said Gatwick had spent £20m on flood alleviation work at the south terminal, which he said had been deemed to be at far greater risk of flooding than the north terminal. He said: “Any plans for a second runway would absolutely assume that the buildings [and the runway] were protected to a similar degree from flooding.” A review of the incident will be published in February. Stewart Wingate admitted a lot more "could and should" have been done for customers after a power cut, caused by flooding of the electricity sub-station, threw the airport into chaos. Passengers said they had not been given information. EasyJet, said only 4 buses had been available to ferry passengers between the north and south terminals.
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Cameron “suspects” extreme weather linked to climate change
At the first Prime Ministers' Questions of the New Year, David Cameron revealed that he "very much suspects" increased incidents of extreme weather are linked to climate change. In comments that may not please his climate sceptic Conservative colleagues, the Prime Minister acknowledged that climate change was likely to be contributing to an increase in extreme weather experienced by the UK and underlined his commitment to the Climate Change Act and the government's Green Investment Bank. Responding to a question from Lib Dem President Tim Farron in which he asserted that there was "no doubt" climate change was having some impact on extreme weather and urged Cameron to commit to climate change targets, the Prime Minister stopped short of confirming that he would block any changes to the current fourth carbon budget when it is reviewed this year. But he insisted the government was "committed to carbon reduction targets" and had taken steps to ensure that they are met, such as the launch of the Green Investment Bank. Earlier the shadow Environment team implied that the Secretary of State Owen Patterson's well-documented climate scepticism could undermine the UK's ability to respond to worsening extreme weather impacts.
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Redhill aerodrome hard runway application public inquiry to last several days
Redhill Aerodrome has for years been trying to get a hard surfaced runway, to replace its current grass runway, so it can operate larger planes and it can also operate in wet weather. Their application has been rejected, most recently in June 2013 by both Tandridge and Reigate & Banstead councils. The public inquiry into the hard runway plans takes place on 7th January 2014, in Redhill, and will last several days. As well as the two district councils opposing the plans, they are also being fought by two parish councils and the local campaign group, KRAG. The extent of the damage to the Green Belt, and to the local community, is a key issue in the Inquiry. "One of the 5 purposes of Green Belt policy is to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. The introduction of the proposed development would not assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; it would conflict with that purpose.” The jobs argument is being used by the airport's legal team, which claims a hard runway would secure the 140 on-site jobs and create120 more jobs by 2030. The local community group, Keep Redhill Aerodrome Green branded the Aerodrome’s case as “weak” and "contains numerous assumptions, unsubstantiated statements, omissions and factors which remain unproven.”
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GACC debunks alleged benefits of a 2nd Gatwick runway
GACC - the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign - has set out its reaction to the Airports Commission decision to short-list Gatwick. One of the main negative impacts at Gatwick is seen as the urbanisation of the area, which would be the result of an influx of around 40,000 new families attracted into the area from other parts of the UK and the EU. GACC does not believe an additional Gatwick would bring large economic benefits to the existing residents of the area. The Gatwick area has a comparatively low level of unemployment. A new runway would certainly bring new workers, moving into the area - who would get most of the new jobs, first in construction (building the airport and the required housing) and then at the airport. The in-comers would derive economic benefits. The hundreds of new firms (which the Gatwick Diamond business association believes would follow) would also need to import most of their staff. So almost all the extra income would go to the newcomers. In all probability existing local residents would just experience more road congestion, more pressure on local infrastructure, more more pressure on health services and schools, as well as more noise, and fewer green fields.
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Global aviation anticipated to carry on expanding at 5% per year out to 2032 … and beyond
The world’s addiction to flying shows no signs of slowing, despite increasing concerns over the industry’s impact on climate change. New data from the Worldwatch Institute shows the number of people taking flights in 2012 hit 2,957 million, a 4.7% increase on 2011. That’s triple the number of people flying in 1986. Boeing predicts world passenger numbers and air cargo traffic will rise 5% annually until 2032. The“insatiable” desire for air travel is bad news for climate change, as growth in the sector is faster than fuel efficiency improvements - giving a large net increase in CO2 emissions each year. In 2012, aviation produced 689 million tonnes of CO2, or around 2% of the global total. A 2009 paper in the Atmospheric Environment journal calculated air travel was responsible for 4.9% of man-made climate change. As their affluence increases,people travel more and more. International flights are responsible for the majority of air miles travelled. In 2012, while only 39% of passengers were on international flights, they accounted for 62% of the overall distance travelled. The world's aircraft fleet is expected to grow to 36,500 carriers by 2032, says Airbus, or to more than 41,000, says rival Boeing.
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Luton Airport expansion plan should be called in, say three local MPs
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has again been urged to call in the major expansion of Luton Airport. Harpenden MP Peter Lilley has repeated his plea for Mr Pickles to “objectively” consider the scheme, after Luton borough council controversially approved expansion of the airport, despite being its owner. On December 20, just 6 members of the council’s 11-strong development control committee turned up to a planning meeting where they agreed to nearly double passenger throughput to 18 million a year. Mr Lilley condemned the council’s decision to “sneak in the planning hearing just before Christmas” and said: “I have again written to the Secretary of State urging him to call in the planning application to ensure it receives proper consideration, which is seen to be objective. It is essential to make sure that any growth in throughput is made tolerable for those living near the airport and under the flight paths. There are concerns that concessions originally proposed by the operator have not been enshrined in the planning approval granted by Luton.” Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland and MP for North East Hertfordshire Oliver Heald, are also asking for the government to take the decision out of Luton Borough Council’s hands.
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Reigate MP, Crispin Blunt, slams Airports Commission report short-listing Gatwick for 2nd runway
Reigate MP Crispin Blunt has attacked the recent Airports Commission interim report and its short-listing of proposals for a second runway at Gatwick. The Conservative MP, who recently won a battle to be re-selected to stand for the party in Reigate at the next General Election, called the report “nothing short of calamitous” for his constituents. And he said the development a second runway at Gatwick would bring with it “would devastate the local environment and leave the UK with its major airport in the wrong place.” In a statement on his website, Mr Blunt said he had “registered his dismay at the Airports Commission interim report. However, he remains keen on a Thames estuary airport. He says the interim report "merely represents a series of damaging, and potentially catastrophic compromises." “The second runway at Gatwick airport would be a disaster for the surrounding communities and environment” especially due to the level of development associated with an airport serving three times as many passengers as it does now - where could some 40,000 new houses be built.
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Connie Hedegaard: Why bold climate action is in Europe’s economic interest
Connie writes that one of the major dilemmas facing political leaders across the world today is how to combine economic prosperity with bold climate action. It is obvious that climate policy-makers must anticipate the economic impacts of climate policies. Anything else would be irresponsible. Everybody agrees to this elementary reasoning. But, she says, how come it is not equally elementary to all that economic policy-makers must anticipate the climate impacts of their proposed economic policies? Global economic leaders are finally beginning to understand that, beyond the global economic crisis, the world is experiencing a climate crisis. And none can be resolved without addressing the other. In January the European Commission will propose a new climate and energy framework for 2030. Europe's ambition will be seen by many countries as a benchmark, both in terms of timing and ambition, and an important driver in securing ambition for the domestic preparations of other countries and, as a result, for the 2015 agreement in Paris. The summit of world leaders on climate change that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host in September 2014 will be a crucial milestone on the road to Paris.
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Regional prefect signs orders on water & biodiversity – real threat work might start on Notre-Dame des Landes airport
Support continues to grow for the Nantes campaigners There are now over 200 support groups backing the campaigners fighting the proposed new airport at Notre-Dames-des-Landes outside Nantes. The campaign suffered a setback when the EU refused to insist the French authorities should carry out a full environmental assessment of the impact of the new airport. On 21st December the local prefecture finally signed the papers, on the law relating to water and biodiversity. There is now a real threat that the Notre-Dame des Landes airport could be built. However, the battle is far from over as the opponents will take legal action to get the papers annulled, and suspend construction, through proving the state is infringing part of the Water Act. Elected environmentalists are willing to break their alliance with the Socialists in regional council over the issue. They will leave the alliance if the airport goes ahead, and form a blocking minority politically. There will also be a mass mobilization across France. The next big demonstration is on 22nd February. The Nantes campaign, ACIPA, say they will block the building work. ACIPA say: "We will not let them! Work will not start!" They are anticipating a new wave of expulsions on the land earmarked for the airport, where there are a dozen legal occupants and up to 200 illegally occupants.
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HS2: Government ministers sat on critical report by DfT while promoting KPMG report alleging huge economic benefits
A key report by KPMG used by the Government to make the economic case for the HS2 high-speed rail line has been critically undermined by the DfT's own research, which suggests the study’s methods exaggerated the benefits of the project. The report has been repeatedly quoted by ministers — including George Osborne — to defend their £43 billion scheme. It said there would be a “£15 billion annual boost to the economy, with the North and Midlands gaining at least double the benefit of the South”.The figure was said to be the value of higher employment, better productivity and “gross value added” (GVA), increased production of goods and services, caused by the new line. But the DfT was sitting on another study, by transport experts, showing the KPMG report produced “implausibly high” estimates of the effect of high-speed rail projects on the economy. The second report said: “There is no evidence that the direction of causation claimed in the model —between an increase in rail connectivity and an increase in productivity, employment density and GVA — has been established.” (We have had that direction-of-causation problem with reports for the aviation industry). “Over the construction and the first 60 years of operation of HS2, it is likely that carbon savings … will be less than the carbon emissions, resulting largely from the construction phase,” the report says. Similar problems are likely with the economics of new runways.
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Andrew Simms: The only sober way to run Britain’s economy is to learn our limits – including aviation
Writing in the Observer, Andrew Simms (fellow at the NEF and author of the book, "Cancel the Apocalypse") says that the UK needs to learn to live within the biosphere's thresholds, its ability to absorb our waste and replenish its productivity. We are not doing this at present, and act as if there were infinite resources available and the planet has infinite capacity to deal with our wastes. He says Britain's economy is in the grip of an Icarus complex. " It touches everything from, appropriately, the debate on aviation expansion, to our increasing dependence on fossil fuels and more." By operating within the biosphere's thresholds, "this introduces an urgent and immediate decision tree. If something like a new airport runway, or expansion of fossil fuel extraction, is going to take you closer to, or further beyond, one of the biosphere's tolerance thresholds – such as potentially runaway climate change – you branch off and do something else .... that would mean no enlargement of Heathrow, or having to identify compensatory carbon savings elsewhere. The latter is not as easy as it sounds as some official projections for expansion lead to the aviation industry using up the UK's entire fair global share of safe carbon emissions before too long."
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“Grow Heathrow” still hanging on in Sipson – which would be wiped out by a 3rd northern runway
A small Transition community calling itself Grow Heathrow set up in Sipson three years ago, in order to give heart to the community, so badly damaged by the runway threat and the purchase by Heathrow airport of many properties. The Grow Heathrow site is a hub for local residents and environmental activists to share knowledge and practical skills such as organic gardening, permaculture design, bicycle maintenance and wood and metal work. They endeavour to be self-reliance, producing their own food; by use of solar and wind power, as well as simpler heating technologies, they are completely "off grid". They collect water from the greenhouse roofs to feed the plants, fruit and vegetables; they use fuel-efficient rocket stoves to heat water; they have compost toilets making "humanure." The site has been under threat of eviction for many months. Following an Appeal Court decision on 3rd July 2013 that the landowner could take possession, nothing has happened. They could be evicted at any time. They are still trying to negotiate with the landowner to buy the land, and the legal process seeking to apply to appeal to the Supreme Court is still trundling along. Meanwhile Heathrow's proposal for a 3rd runway in the Harmondsworth area, west of Sipson, has been short-listed by the Airports Commission.
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