Stop Bristol Airport Expansion, a campaign group actively opposed to the expansion of Bristol Airport, has spoken about its fears that a change in Government policy will prove detrimental to local businesses. The group’s anxiety has arisen as a result of carbon reduction targets announced by the Government. MPs recently voted in favour of an alteration to the Climate Change Bill. This amendment will see aviation emissions included in the carbon reduction targets for Britain.
Overall, the Government wishes to see emissions across the UK reduced by 80% by 2050. However, with the proposed expansion to Bristol Airport, other businesses will have to lower their emissions drastically in order to compensate for the extra impact on the environment caused by the growth.
Jeremy Birch, a spokesman for the Stop Bristol Airport Expansion campaign group, has commended the Government for including “the UK’s international aviation emissions in our new 80% target”. He stated recently that including emissions from every flight in the target creates “a level playing field between all industries”.
However, Birch continued to state that every industry must now take part in “delivering the cuts”. As such, according to the spokesman, Bristol Airport must not be allowed to expand. If expansions do occur as planned, there will be a subsequent “drain on the economy” as other industries struggle to meet the targets.
He finished by speaking about the current problems caused in the local area as a result of the airport’s location. The South West region of the country is already losing “millions of pounds” because local people travel abroad to spend their hard-earned cash, and tourists do not bring in enough money to compensate for this fact.