Representation by Peter Warren Davison
- Date submitted
- 20 September 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Having lived in Dorking for 45 years I have seen a manifold increase in air traffic as well re-routing of flight paths from both Heathrow and Gatwick. At times, flights are barely at 1 minute intervals. A new runway can only be to increase traffic volume and flow causing further, increased noise and air pollution for local residents. Neither being advantageous to residents on the whole. At a time when we should be reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases it is unbelievable that planning for a Gatwick expansion can be allowed to increase these for local residents. 'Offsetting' will not improve air quality for locals under flight paths. It is already clear that properties under flight paths have a lower market value: look at the variation between those in closer proximity from those (supposedly) on the fringes. The negative impact for home owners cannot be doubted. Whilst there are undoubted benefits to commerce from a new runway there are also massive infrastructure issues and additional pollution concerns regarding increased traffic flow from travellers. The former will place enormous pressures on local authorities and local residents to accommodate, many towns being extremely congested already and smaller local roads and villages being unable to cope with increased traffic volumes: vehicles trending to avoid main road congestion by resorting to minor roads. This brings with it further rising pollution levels for locals which again cannot be offset at a local level. In short, other that encourage massively increased traffic flow of all sorts and pollution to match there can be nothing to reduce global warming concerns nor support local health and wellbeing in such a project.