Representation by Edward Bigland
- Date submitted
- 27 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Gatwick’s application for a second runway proposes to increase passenger numbers from 46 million passengers in 2019 to 80 million passengers per annum (over 70%* growth) and from 281,000 aircraft movements in 2019 to 386,000 aircraft movements per annum (over 35% growth*). It is a multi-billion pound programme to expand taxiways, terminals, piers, hangers, hotels, offices, water treatment, flood works, parking and much more – together with road widening and two motorway-style grade separated interchanges offsite. Together this would result in a massive increase in airport operations to enable many more flights. This airport growth would have a very significant impact on noise, carbon emissions, public transport and road congestion and associated air pollution, and flood risk. Abinger Parish Council questioned the necessity of the project, immediate impacts and long term impacts of such a proposal on Abinger Parish. The New Economics Foundation recent report has already proved that the demand for business flights has decreased since the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also proved that employment has gone down since the pandemic and wages have been further reduced since reopening. Abinger Parish and Surrey County Council would not benefit in any way from this project and to the contrary Surrey would likely bear the brunt of significant traffic through Surrey both on the road, rail and air. The increase of flights overflying Surrey on Routes 3 and 4 would be dramatic with significant increases in overhead noise and air pollution. Route 3 traffic is already flying well below 3000ft, lower than directed on the route over the villages of Abinger Hammer, Abinger Common, Forest Green, Walliswood and Okewood. Current flights should be increased in altitude above 4000 ft to avoid extreme disturbance not doubled in frequency. With one line in and one line out of Gatwick through the North Downs a majority of passengers opt to drive, inevitably that means more traffic through the limited roads and lanes of Surrey. The increase of traffic movements proposed would congest and in some cases block the highways already struggling to cope with current traffic. Gatwick’s proposal makes no account for infrastructure improvements in Surrey or contribution towards the required improvements in road and rail links to reach the airport. Gatwick’s proposed engineering project is colossal and would increase the hard standing surface area and run off into the Mole River increasing flooding and oil pollution from the tarmac into the rivers ecosystem. Once again Abinger Parish Council questioned the demand for this project, demand is down, jobs are not offered, road networks will be damaged. Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted already handle 70% of the UK’s. Gatwick’s owners GIP and Vinci have a history of increasing the capacity of airports they buy regardless of the need or demand for the increase. There is not the demand as the New Economics Foundation has demonstrated. So this leads us to believe that the proposal has been submitted to increase the investment in the property and future dividends to shareholders. Not because the UK requires more capacity. Heathrow already has permission for a second runway and in that contest Gatwick was deemed unsuitable. Abinger Parish believes that a second runway is unnecessary and far from increasing the prosperity of the Parish and Surrey County will have a devastating effect on our road traffic, air traffic, air pollution, council tax bills, house values and will not align with the Governments own legally binding commitments to net zero by 2050.