Representation by Dr Jean Collins
- Date submitted
- 19 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The effects of doubling Gatwick Airport's capacity would be catastrophic for the local area. Road and rail links are already at full stretch for current passenger numbers with local trains, including commuter trains, crowded with air passengers and their luggage, and the M23 and A23 at maximum capacity with daily tailbacks. Any road incident, be it accident or roadworks, immediately produces gridlock on both main and local roads. The large number of jobs expected to be needed by the proposed expansion would bring more people into the area, further increasing road traffic as well as directly increasing pressures on the local infrastructure, including local services such as health and education. Air pollution would rise significantly across the area as a direct result of this proposal. The pollution would not only be caused by the projected increase of 100,000 extra flights p.a. but also by the corresponding increase in road traffic. Noise pollution would increase exponentially. We already have regular overflying of Gatwick flights, deterring the opening of house windows and halting conversations in the garden. This would become nonstop. This is in addition to other current noise from aircraft based at Redhill Aerodrome, including the Air Ambulance and Police helicopters. Aiming to double Gatwick Airport's capacity flies in the face of all we know about the drivers of catastrophic climate change and makes a mockery of our stated national carbon emission net zero objectives.