Representation by Clare Heloise Duke
- Date submitted
- 8 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Increasing passenger numbers from 18 million to 32 million is unrealistic. The infrastructure of Luton will be severely disrupted and is inadequate to deal with such an increase. Pollution will rise in what is a residential area. The number of vehicles on the M1 will increase and the M1 already struggles to cope with the current weight of traffic 24 hours a day. Green space used by the community will be taken over by the airport. Local schools housing estates will endure years of construction of roads and buildings to facilitate the expansion. Luton has limited facilities for health and social care and education. We have one hospital that is already overflowing and unable to fully staff. The number of passengers using the railway stations will impact on Luton residents. It’s not in line with all the environmental targets the U.K. are promising. The land surrounding Luton airport is all residential housing that has increased year on year. The Luton Airport expansion can’t be integrated into the space available without huge impact on residents and schools. The additional noise from planes, the increased number of staff and passengers using the transport networks, the immense increase in air pollution from fuel in cars and planes and equipment used on runways make this whole expansion unrealistic. No Luton residents will benefit from this plan. Luton has immense hardship and poverty. This far having an airport has not improved this situation. Luton Council have ploughed investment into the airport to the detriment of improving residents quality of life. This expansion should not go ahead. The number of extra passengers and the number of extra flights can’t possibly be successfully introduced into the area that is planned for the expansion.