Comments from Paul Crossley (Liberal Democrat, Southdown)
from Paul Crossley I sent before adding our airport policy motion Bristol International Airport Expansion Motion proposed by Caroline Roberts on behalf of the Liberal Democrats 1 This Council recognises: 1.1 Bristol International Airport as a necessary part of the essential infrastructure of the South West as a modern, outward-looking region; 1.2 That airports have a role to play as generators of economic growth and high quality employment at a regional level; 1.3 That significant expansion of air travel will make it impossible to meet targets for cuts in greenhouse gasses, including the requirement under the Nottingham Declaration, to which this Council is committed, for 60% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 2 Therefore Council requests the Leader to write to the relevant authorities and bodies expressing serious concern and requesting that before any expansion of the airport is considered that: 2.1 all available measures are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 2.2 the airport authority must demonstrate that significant and far-reaching improvements in public transport for Airport customers and employees are secured, including the possibility of a direct public transport link eastwards and the adoption of a strategy to increase public transport use by all those travelling to the airport; 2.3 it must be proven that the effects of any expansion should be to encourage more people to visit the region, and not just to encourage one-way traffic of trips originating here; 2.4 assurances should be given that any plan for expansion will not raise levels of pollution above those for the year of 2006 and the polluter should be held accountable for the pollution generated, which could be achieved by changes to EU-wide taxation policies such as a shift from the current system of Airport Passenger Duty to an Aircraft Tax based on the emissions of each aircraft or bringing aviation within the EU emissions trading scheme; 2.5 in the light of rising oil prices, climate change and widespread national concern over airport expansion, an economic assessment of the viability and potential benefits of airport expansion in the future should be conducted. 2.6 Because significant control of aviation pollution is beyond the influence of a single airport, the bodies to be contacted must include the Department of Transport, local MPs, North Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, the Regional Assembly, South West Regional Development Authority and Bristol International Airport. This will also help to minimise the risk of restrictions to the expansion of Bristol International Airport causing displacement of the problem to other airports.