Environmental group calls on Gatwick Airport to ‘build back better’

At a meeting of the airport’s statutory consultative committee, GATCOM, the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) laid out a series of national and local measures needed, a group spokesman said.

Key measures include setting legally enforceable zero carbon targets for aviation, and ensuring aviation pays a higher, fairer, contribution towards public finances through more equitable taxes, focused particularly on frequent flyers, the group spokesman added.

He said: “[Measures also include] phasing out of public subsidies that distort the industry’s economics, stimulate unsustainable demand and oblige the general taxpayer to support the small proportion of people who choose to fly frequently. Raising consumer awareness of aviation’s climate and other impacts. Putting in place effective environmental and noise regulation that limits the industry’s climate, environmental, noise and health impacts.”

GACC is also urging the airport to axe nighttime flights. The group called for investment in communities around Gatwick that have been badly impacted by the pandemic, directed at increasing the diversity and resilience of the region and helping to create jobs that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

Peter Barclay, Chairman of GACC said: “Gatwick’s growth over the past decade has meant more CO2 emissions, contributing to faster climate change, more noise impacts, more congestion and poorer air quality. That cannot continue. Building Back Better must achieve genuine environmental sustainability and a fair balance between societal needs and environmental imperatives. The old model, where the airport’s shareholders gained and the environment, the climate and impacted local communities lost, has to change.

“Gatwick’s size should be consistent with the achievement of CO2 and other environmental and noise targets. Unless new technologies are deployed on a scale not currently foreseeable, that means that the airport should not be permitted to re-grow to its previous size, let alone to implement its master plan proposals.”

In response to GACC’s comments, a Gatwick spokeswoman said: “We are determined to play our part to reach ‎the Government’s target of achieving net zero carbon flights within a generation. We are working hard with others in our industry, both in the UK and across the world to implement and develop further solutions that reduce emissions while still enabling people to travel throughout the world.

“Gatwick has delivered year-on-year noise reductions since 2016. Last year was Gatwick’s busiest passenger year on record, with more than 46 million passengers, and over 280,000 flights – yet a recent report confirms that it was also a year with record low levels of noise exposure. This was due to the increase in the number of new, quieter types of aircraft, such as the Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo, that operate from Gatwick. This also accounted for a reduction in night noise.

“Gatwick’s Decade of Change report highlights the significant progress we have already made in reducing the airport’s environmental impact since 2010 and we will continue to build on this. Driving the recovery and growth of our business, after the decimating impact of COVID-19 on the industry, is vitally important for the UK economy and the creation of good jobs across our region. We will always look to progress our recovery in a responsible way with respect to our environmental commitments whilst also supporting local people in terms of the economy, employment and local businesses.”