As the Government takes another Lib Dem Aviation Idea, Local Lib Dems warns of More Flights over South East Cambridgeshire (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

As the Government takes another Lib Dem Aviation Idea, Local Lib Dems warns of More Flights over South East Cambridgeshire

November 9, 2007 6:48 PM

As the Government takes another Liberal Democrat idea for limiting the harmful effect of flying on the environment and South East Cambridgeshire is threatened with aircraft stacking over it, Jonathan Chatfield, the parliamentary spokesperson for the area is calling for the Government to "go the whole hog" and adopt the Lib Dems policy of no more airport expansion.

Firstly, in 2005 the Lib Dems adopted a policy of charging an emissions tax on all take-offs at UK airports, rather than charge individual passengers, and this has now been taken up by Labour and the Conservatives.

Now, in its just published "Towards a Sustainable Transport System" consultation paper the Government is proposing to take another Lib Dem idea, this time to link take off and landing slots at airports to aircraft emissions. Allowing only the least polluting aircraft to use slots that become available.

Jonathan Chatfield says:

"We should be flattered that the Government continues to recognise in this way that we have the best policies on the environment. But the reality is that it will have to do a whole lot more in the fight against global warming. I call on it therefore to go the whole hog and take on board all of our aviation policy, which includes a stop to further airport expansion.

"Also, this is very important for residents of South East Cambridgeshire at a local level. National Air Traffic Services have told local councils that it will consult shortly on new airways and a holding stack over South East Cambridgeshire. More flights over our area will not only bring more greenhouse gases, but also more disturbance to our quality of life."