Melanie Fryer
On 11th February Leeds City Council approved Leeds/Bradford Airport expansion, see http://acesettleandarea.org/academics-call-on-government-to-intervene-on-airport-expansion/. This includes increasing passenger numbers, extending daytime flying hours and permitting noisier planes, and an unlimited number of planes, to take off between 23.30 and 06.00 hours.
Leeds City Council signed the UK100 Net Zero Pledge and committed to make the Leeds District carbon net zero by 2045. However, from 2026 an expanded airport would pump out more emissions than are allowed in the carbon budget for the whole of Leeds!
Emissions are not the only concern, what about noise and sleep deprivation as well as increased car use and road congestion? A new terminal building would be built with no plan of what will happen to the old one.
GALBA (Group Against Leeds/Bradford Airport see: https://www.galba.uk/ has written to Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, asking him to ‘call in’ the decision on LBA. If he agrees the airport’s planning application will be dealt with at a public enquiry. They are also fundraising and have raised £45,000 for their work.
Meanwhile on 1 March the Leeds Climate Commission issued a statement on the application which may be found at: https://www.leedsclimate.org.uk/news/leeds-climate-commission-statement-leeds-bradford-airport-planning-application
Ta(l)king Action event – 5.30pm -7.00pm Tuesday 23 March
One of the main areas we need to change individually, locally, nationally and globally is the way we get around. Whether commuting, doing the shopping or going on holiday; the way we travel is having a huge impact on global temperature rises and if we are serious about achieving net zero in the coming decades this must change. In this Ta(l)king Action session we will hear from a range of speakers on the impact of different types of transport and the health benefits of changing our travel habits for the better. GALBA Committee member Alistair Cameron will be speaking. Please register in advance on Eventbrite.
