Demonstrators out in force at Southampton Airport
16th June 2007
AXE Against Expansion at Eastleigh
Residents and environmental campaigners opposed to the expansion of SouthamptonAirport gathered outside the entrance to the terminal building this Saturday morning to demand that the airport abandons plans to increase flight numbers and expand infrastructure, and to promote alternatives to short-haul flights.
AXE, a coalition of residential associations, environmental organisations and other concerned citizens, organised the demonstration as part of a Europe-wide Day of Action against short-haul flights. Dozens of people gathered at around 10.30am outside the airport with placards, banners and replica planes opposing expansion at EastleighAirport. Although the police in conjunction with airport security moved the protestors off the airport land, the protest continued on the roundabout at the entrance.
Last year, SouthamptonAirport published its revised Masterplan, setting out plans for vast increases in flights and passenger numbers, with the possibility of a second terminal building by 2030. AXE hasconsistently opposed the plans on the grounds of increased air and noise pollution, increased traffic congestion and rising carbon dioxide emissions from aviation. 77% of the proposed growth at SouthamptonAirport is on flights within the UK, journeys which could easily be replaced bytrains which have only tenth of the CO2 emissions per passenger-km of aeroplanes.
Chris Bluemel, a spokesman for AXE, said:'In spite of the Airport's claims to the contrary, it is abundantlyclear that Southampton Airport's expansion willresult in increased noise and pollution, andundermine other initiatives in the regionto reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.At a time when the public generally accepts the need to tackle climate change, this isan intolerable situation.'
For more information about AXE, call Chris Bluemel on 02380 550264 or 07985 982288.
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Note for journalists
Last year SouthamptonAirporthandled1.85 million passengers onaround 43,000 flights a year. Therevised Masterplan sets outprojections for 62,000flights in 2015 and 96,000 in 2030. AXE is aboutto begin a campaign for flight numbersto be capped at 50,000.
The Department of Transport forecasts that annual CO2 emissions from aviation will increase from 4.6 million tonnes ofcarbon to 15.7 MtC by 2050 - the very year by which we should have reduced our CO2 emissions by 60%. Independentstudies suggest this could be an underestimate.
Similar actions have taken place all over Europe. In London, Heathrow campaigners staged a race from London to Paris by train and by plane. The train passengers won a decisive victory.