Representation by Vera Abbott
- Date submitted
- 23 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I oppose this Gatwick Airport application for a northern runway because it is a new runway – As the runway to be updated is currently only used in an emergency situation, how can it be deemed an existing runway.. The application is for a ‘new’ runway and as such does not comply with policy, or the Government’s Aviation Strategy. Gatwick does not currently have two functional runways that can operate concurrently, and as such it is a ‘new’ runway that is being constructed. I have read that for safety reasons the ‘new’ runway will be used for departing planes only due to its position. How can this operate safely. I have lived in Horsham for the past thirty years and have watched the airport expand, noticeable downsides, the number of planes flying over existing residential areas, along with the noise and pollution they bring with them. An additional 100,000 flights a year would be unacceptable, the skies above the whole of the south east of England would be constantly bombarded with planes taking off and landing and no doubt there would be a significant increase in night flights. Lack of affordable housing close to Gatwick would increase the number if workers having to use the roads, as there is very little infrastructure for public transport to run twenty four hours a day. The number of jobs that will be available will be most low-skilled and offer very little job security due to the volatility of the leisure industry as demonstrated during Covid. The M23 is the only main road to Gatwick, as a local your hear very frequently of accidents on the M23, which in turn leads to major holdups on the motorway day or night. One assumes that amount of airlines using Gatwick for freight will increase, causing significant congestion to the M23. Recently upgraded to a Smart Motorway I use the term loosely, as the Government have stopped the development of Smart Motorway due to their very poor safety record. Already when there is a problem on the M23 the congestion fans out across the region as passengers/commuters try to find an alternative route, thereby glogging up local routes. Gatwick Railway Station is on the main London to Brighton line, there can be no further expansion to this line, it will place an unacceptable burden on existing commuters. We know we have a climate emergency and a new runway would add a significant amount of carbon and greenhouse gases – Evidence CCC (2020) The Sixth Carbon Budget – Methodology Report. The aviation industry is always telling us that planes are getting quieter, I hear little evidence of this when they fly over our homes, the noise from another 100,000 would be totally unacceptable