Resistance To Airport Expansion Grows In Scotland

I got the following press release from the Workers' Climate Action e-list (Workers' Climate Action can be found online at http://workersclimateaction.co.uk/)

Plane Speaking - Scottish Communities Respond to Government Airport Expansion Plans


AirportWatch Scotland , the organisation recently set up to oppose expansion at Scottish airports (1), will be holding a series of public meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow next month (2). The meetings are expected to attract local residents and environmentalists concerned about the plans to expand Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. The purpose of the meetings is to enable local residents affected by the airports to influence the National Planning Framework which the Government expects to approve later this year (3).


Dan Glass, spokesman for AirportWatch Scotland , said, “We hope that these meetings will be a chance for local residents to express their views about the proposals to expand Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. We know that there is already a lot of concern amongst people under flight paths in places like Drumchapel in Glasgow and Cramond in Edinburgh about the noise from the planes. It can only get worse if the expansion plans go ahead. Ad it also makes no sense from a climate change perspective. Aviation is the fastest growing contributor to CO2 emissions in the UK. If the Scottish Government is serious about dealing with climate change, it should oppose these airport expansion plans.


Glass added, “Our plane speaking meetings will be an opportunity for local people to speak their minds. So far, their voices have been ignored.”


Professor Frank McManus, Chair of the Scottish branch of the UK Noise Association, said, “Make no mistake about it. The noise climate will get worse if these plans go ahead. Planes may be getting a little quieter but the sort of growth that is being talked about will wipe out any of the benefits for local people.”


ENDS

Notes for Editors:

(1). AirportWatch Scotland is a not-for-profit umbrella movement bringing together national environmental organisations, local communities, and individual environmentalists. We aim to campaign against airport expansion, particularly on the grounds of climate change and noise.


(2). 1) Dates and Venues All 7.00-9.00pm

August 12th- Kirkliston Community Centre, 16- 18 Queensferry Road , KIRKLISTON , EH29 9AQ

August 13th- 13th court room, Clydebank Town Hall. Address: 49 Dumbarton Road Clydebank G81 1TX ;

August 14th Martyrs Church , Broomlands Street Paisley , PA1 2LS - on the corner of Broomlands street and King Street

August 18th- The Millennium Room in Cramond Kirk Hall, 18 Cramond Glebe Road, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, EH4, Scotland

August 19th- Kirkliston Community Centre, 16- 18 Queensferry Road , KIRKLISTON , EH29 9AQ

August 20th The Napier Hall, 312 Dumbarton Road , Old Kilpatrick G60 5JH

August 21st Martyrs Church , Broomlands Street Paisley , PA1 2LS - on the corner of Broomlands street and King Street


(3). The National Planning Framework Process

We want to empower local communities and individuals concerned about aviation expansion. In particular, we want to ensure that the voices of communities directly affected by planned airport expansion are given due weight over the next critical four months when the Scottish Government will be finalising and agreeing it’s ‘National Planning Framework’, which will provide the legislative framework for major infrastructure projects. The final consultation will be a sixty day period in the Autumn parliamentary session where members of the public can feed into the consultation through MSPs.


This will be the first step in empowering local communities to develop their own campaigns in the fight to prevent the expansion proposals. This will help influence the Scottish Climate Change Bill, the National Planning Framework and equip communities with life-long skills to challenge runaway climate change and the other downsides of airport expansion and the institutions which perpetrate them.


How can you help?

1.
Get involved with the campaign and invite everyone you think may be interested to the 'Plane Speaking' near your home. Publicise in all media outlets. All support is of great use- if you have experience with creating publicity, liaising with workers and trade unions or anything else, please do get in contact. Especially if you've got time on your hands. Come to the next meeting on Wednesday 16th July or the next one (see www.airportwatch.org.uk/scotland) as I'm sure there will be many more. Please reply to this email to say whether you'll be attending. If you have upcoming meetings which you would like someone from AirportWatch Scotland to attend, just ask.

2. Give us advice. If you've got experience with campaigning on airport-related issues or supporting community projects or think there are particular people that we should speak to or should be involved then please pass on this email to them or reply offering any of your suggestions.

3. Join the organising list. This is not a public list and is for people actively involved.


AirportWatch Scotland

Please see www.airportwatch.org.uk/scotland for more information and up to date news