Campaigners against a Gatwick runway relieved by Airports Commission decision, but aware Gatwick may still ultimately be selected by government.

Thousands of people across Surrey, Sussex and Kent will be relieved that the threat of an environmental disaster has been lifted – though this reprieve may only be very temporary.  The Commission appears to leave the door open for a Gatwick runway, while hugely favouring Heathrow, considering the Gatwick option could be pushed through by the Government with less difficulty. There will, however, be no rejoicing from the Gatwick area: campaigners there are only too aware of the misery which will be created for those living near Heathrow.  GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) commented: “We do not want this for our area, and equally we do not wish it onto others, for whom it would be just as bad. We will continue to make the case that no new runway is needed, neither at Heathrow, nor at Gatwick, nor anywhere else.” GACC, and all the protest groups around Gatwick, will be studying the report carefully and will remain on guard in case there is pressure to reverse the recommendation. A Gatwick runway would be an environmental disaster for the south east.
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Campaigners against a Gatwick runway relieved by Airports Commission decision, but aware Gatwick may still  ultimately be selected by government.

1.7.2015  (GACC – Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign)

Thousands of people across Surrey, Sussex and Kent will be relieved that the threat of an environmental disaster has been lifted – though this reprieve may only be very temporary.

The Commission appears to leave the door open for a Gatwick runway, while hugely favouring Heathrow, considering the Gatwick option could be pushed through by the Government with less difficulty

There will, however, be no rejoicing from the Gatwick area:  we are only too aware of the misery which will be created for those living near Heathrow.  We do not want this for our area, and equally we do not wish it onto others, for whom it would be just as bad.

We will continue to make the case that no new runway is needed, neither at Heathrow, nor at Gatwick, nor anywhere else.

GACC, and all the protest groups around Gatwick, will be studying the report carefully and will remain on guard in case there is pressure to reverse the recommendation.

We will continue to work with Heathrow groups concerning changes to flight paths that already impact communities surrounding Gatwick and Heathrow.  We will be working jointly with Heathrow groups to address this with the Government departments and the airports.

As the fear remains that Gatwick may, even now, still be the location the government ultimately chooses for a runway, the ring of protest groups surrounding Gatwick will continue to fight the runway proposal. The uncertainty is likely to continue for many months, until the Government makes a decision on the Airports Commission’s report.

While the uncertainty about a Gatwick runway continues, local protest and campaigning will carry on, together with the Parliamentary Group headed up by Crispin Blunt MP.

‘A second runway at Gatwick would be an environmental disaster for the South East – more noise, more pollution, more climate change damage, new flight paths, large scale inward migration, multiple traffic jams and a worsening of the north/south divide.’ said Brendon Sewill, Chairman of GACC.

‘It would be criminal to place so many new flight paths over areas that have never been affected before by aircraft noise, destroying residents’ home life, tranquillity, let alone what the additional traffic will do to our roads and railway of West Sussex,’ said Sally Pavey, Chair of CAGNE.

GACC and CAGNE are just two of the many groups represent tens of thousands of residents in Kent, Surrey, West Sussex and East Sussex. All are adamantly opposed to a new Gatwick runway, and will work together to ensure it does not happen.

www.gacc.org.uk

via Airportwatch http://ift.tt/1BXcpuH