Climate and local campaigners gathered outside Department of Transport Offices in London on Wednesday 27th November 2024 to coincide with the Government receiving the recommendations of Planning Inspectors on plans to expand Gatwick Airport – to highlight the spare capacity of Eurostar which should be used for international journeys from London instead.
Jonathan Essex, Vice Chair of GACC and Green Councillor on Surrey County Council says, “It is shocking that Eurostar, which has a fraction of the climate impact of flights, is still running at only 40% capacity and could accommodate a further 30 million passengers a year, whilst London’s airports say there is a need to expand. GACC trusts that the advice from the Planning Inspectorate o Government will reflect the unacceptable impact of expanding Gatwick, not least on the climate – and that Eurostar services running at less than half the tunnel’s capacity is yet another reason why there is no need for the proposed expansion of Gatwick, nor Luton or City Airports for that matter. Gatwick is Big Enough Already.”
Peter Barclay, Chair of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) says, “Why does the government permit slots at London Airports for over 6 million people to fly from London to destinations already served by Eurostar destinations each year, which is far less climate polluting as a form of travel? A quarter of these (1.5 million) are passengers flying from Gatwick. Considering the Brussels – Cologne – Essen route (which is now also run by Eurostar) over 7.5 million passengers fly to the same destinations reached by more climate-friendly Eurostar in a similar overall journey time in 2023.”
Peter continues, “Instead of permitting expansion of climate damaging flights the Secretary of State should require the Channel Tunnel and our UK train network to be fully utilised, ensuring trains replace short-haul flights and then manage the overall demand for flights to reduce within the UK’s carbon budget.”
Jackie Macey, local climate campaigner in Surrey says, “Using the Channel Tunnel’s full capacity, putting train before plane and managing aviation demand as recommended by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change would remove the need for any airport expansion, not just in London Gatwick but at any UK airport. Instead of expanding airports which would jeopardise the credibility of UK carbon reduction plans the government must review the UK’s aviation and climate policy in light of the new Carbon Budget due to be released at the end of February and put in place measures to manage demand for aviation so its emissions reduce in line with the rest of the UK economy.”
