Representation by Donna Acott
- Date submitted
- 23 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly believe the expansion of Gatwick Airport should not move forward for the following reasons: Health With an airport expansion, communities will suffer substantially increased noise impacts. According to a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report from 2023, noise pollution can contribute to a range of adverse health outcomes including heart disease and premature death, and can disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms. When the narrower Route 4 path was in operation in 2014-15, air traffic over Capel greatly increased to the point where a neighbour's stress levels from aircraft noise became so high that he felt forced to move from the home where he had lived for more than 20 years, from the area where he raised his children and where his family had deep roots. While Route 4 eventually went back to paths used previously, it's hard to see how an increase in flights due to airport expansion won't have the same impact on noise levels, thus negatively affecting the mental and physical health of people who live around Gatwick. Environment By 2038 Gatwick's CO2 emissions are forecast to increase by 50% over 2018, with no plan for how Gatwick will contribute to the international commitment to staying within the 1.5C global warming limit. By Gatwick's own admission, there are currently no measures available for mitigating emissions, beyond citing the potential of future technologies to deliver this. Faith in 'what may be' is no way for the airport to address its contribution to the climate crisis. Transport The proposed new road infrastructure benefits Gatwick Airport but does not benefit residential roads and lanes. The increase of passengers, workers and freight will overflow from the major routes onto the narrow and winding rural roads around the airport to avoid congestion. This will negatively impact the character of East Surrey and West Sussex villages and hamlets. With just one major artery (the M23) leading to the airport, road and lane closures already cause increased traffic from National Express coaches, taxis and private vehicles, often travelling at dangerously high speeds in villages like Capel, Rusper and Newdigate and causing gridlock in town centres like Reigate. Public transport on the current Reading-Gatwick GWR line is inadequate. Trains have few carriages; I have never been on one of these trains with more than 4 carriages. My home station -- Dorking Deepdene -- has platforms which are too short to accommodate longer trains. The station is also inaccessible for people with disabilities affecting mobility. At times of high traffic due to rail disruption, the narrow platforms and the trains are dangerously overcrowded to the point where I have feared for my (and others') safety.