Bristol’s City Council Officially Oppose Expansion of Bristol Aiport
A motion put forward by the Green Party to oppose the expansion of Bristol Airport was agreed despite abstentions from the Labour Party and objections from the Conservatives. The vote taken on 8th July by the full council sends an important signal that the local area is against the proposal yet to be submitted by Bristol Airport, especially as it follows the recent unanimous vote to oppose the airport’s expansion by the neighbouring council of Bath and North East Somerset. However, because the airport is situated several miles outside Bristol the final say will be with North Somerset Council, which will consider the planning application when it is submitted later this year.
The airport’s plans include growing to cater for more passengers from 12 million per annum to 15 million. This will result in an extra 14,000 flights per year, which will include an additional 1,000 night flights. It has also been confirmed that the forthcoming planning application will not extend to plans for a rapid mass transport scheme. This will mean that there are no effective methods of transport to cater for the proposed increase in passengers and that the only link road and surrounding lanes will be overwhelmed with traffic going to and from the airport.
Bristol Airport Action Network organised a demonstration outside City Hall which involved colour from the Landing Crew, Red Rebels and Aged Agitators as well as song from the Bristol Climate Choir.
Local residents and opposition groups foresee an intolerable increase in traffic congestion, inconsiderate parking, noise and air pollution, as well as more disturbed sleep with the additional night flights. Of course, campaigners are also concerned that more flights and vehicular traffic will cause further greenhouse gas emissions at a time when the science and evidence from extreme weather events clearly signal that the planet is heating up.
Full story from Somerset Live: https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bristol-votes-against-damaging-bristol-10333299