'The Government has failed to grasp the nettle of environmental sustainability for air transport.  In the long term, the White Paper is set to land a disaster on our countryside.'

This was the immediate reaction by countryside campaigners CPRE{1} to the publication today (Tuesday) of the Government's long awaited Air Transport White Paper{2}.

CPRE's Aviation Campaigner, Andrew Critchell, said:

'A sustainable air transport policy should be about ensuring that the industry and consumers pay for the very real environmental damage caused by each flight{3}.  The White Paper fails to address this challenge.'

The White Paper gives Government sanction to two new runways in the South East, at Stansted and either Heathrow or Gatwick, operational by 2020, and one new runway at Birmingham.  The document calls for several other airports around England to have runways extended and large new terminals built. 

Local environmental damage is to be controlled in terms of mitigation and compensation, with growth allowed to continue unchecked.  Emissions trading is supported in order to combat climate change, yet this depends on complex and uncertain international negotiations and will take years to introduce.  With no interim measures in the short term, countryside and communities will continue to suffer from this go for growth approach.

Andrew Critchell concluded:

'While we welcome a commitment to the long-term goal of emissions trading to combat climate change, the White Paper is fundamentally flawed in its failure to address the need to manage and reduce future levels of growth. 

'Why can't the Government understand the direct link between allowing continued massive growth in air transport and the onset of environmental and social problems such as the further loss of the tranquillity of the countryside and damaging climate change.'

- END -

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. We promote positive solutions for the long term future of the countryside ensure change values its natural and built environment. Our Patron is Her Majesty The Queen. We have 59,000 supporters, a branch in every county, nine regional groups, over 200 local groups and a national office in London. CPRE is a powerful combination of effective local action and strong national campaigning. Our President is Sir Max Hastings.

2. The White Paper is the culmination of a national consultation, which started in July 2002, and to which the Department for Transport has received over 400,000 responses.  Seven Regional Air Study documents covered the whole of the United Kingdom.  The papers forecast a massive growth in air transport from 180 million passenger movements a year (mppa) in 2000 to over 500mppa in 2030.  A multitude of expansion options were put forward to meet this demand, including 17 possible new runways in England.

3. The environmental damage caused by air transport are termed external costs and are those that the industry incurs on communities and the environment but does not itself pay for. These include climate change, noise pollution, air pollution and the loss of landscape, heritage and wildlife to new airports, runways and development. The Government has committed itself to ensuring that the industry meets these costs 'where appropriate' (Aviation and the environment: using economic instruments, HM Treasury, 2003).