February 12, 2025
Airport chief says Gatwick second runway will not hit Net Zero

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Gatwick plans to spend £2.1 billion to bring its northern runway into full use – iStock Editorial

Chief executive Gatwick has insisted the airport’s expansion plans do not conflict with Net Zero and will boost Britain’s economy, months ahead of an expected showdown with climate campaigners.

Stewart Wingate insisted that the airport would take measures to reduce the impact of adding flight capacity and stressed the “economic benefits” of adding a second runway.

It comes as Rishi Sunak prepares to confront the government’s climate advisers over demands for ministers to halt airport expansion.

The Telegraph revealed that the Prime Minister is preparing to dismiss the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) formal advice that all airport expansion should be halted. Mr Sunak believes airport expansion is vital to fueling UK growth.

Gatwick’s £2.1 billion proposal, which was submitted this summer, would allow it to handle an additional 300 flights a day, bringing its northern runway into full use.

Currently, the strip is used as a taxiway or serves as a stand-in when the main runway is unavailable.

According to plans presented in July, the change would see the annual number of flights at Gatwick increase from 285,000 to 386,000.

Climate campaigners are preparing to challenge the extension at a public hearing scheduled for the first half of 2024 on the grounds that it would clash with the air industry’s need to reduce its carbon emissions.

He has argued that British holidaymakers traveling to Europe should be urged to catch the train.

The proposal is also facing opposition from residents of Surrey and Sussex who are disgruntled over the additional noise.

Mr Wingate, the airport’s chief executive, told The Telegraph the expansion plan is in line with the UK’s climate goals and will help boost the economy.

He said: “Our decision is, these plans are well thought out.

“They are in line with government policy and the mitigation proposals we have put forward are comprehensive enough that this should enable the planning inspector to decide in favor of extension.

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate – Reuters/Peter Nicholls

“We will make a case that determines the development, determines the economic benefits, but also determines in parallel what the environmental impacts are and the broad extent of the mitigation.”

Mr Wingate’s comments were dismissed as “flights of the imagination” by campaign group Greenpeace, which opposes the airport’s expansion and is considering whether to intervene in the planning inquiry.

Paul Morozzo, transport spokesman for Greenpeace UK, said: “The only way the opening of another runway at Gatwick can be conducive to meeting net zero is if it is used for kite flying.

“Not only should this application be rejected, but the expansion of the airport as a whole should be banned.

“To meet Net Zero we need to cut emissions from all sectors, including aviation – not increase them.”

According to the CCC, aviation emissions account for around 7% of UK carbon emissions. Most of the industry’s emissions come from long-haul flights rather than short-haul flights.

The CCC has said aviation emissions must fall by 63 per cent compared to pre-Covid levels by 2035 for the UK to eventually reach its net zero target.

This reduction could come from improvements in aircraft efficiency, the use of more eco-friendly fuels, eventually the introduction of electric aircraft, and so-called demand management – ​​where policies discourage consumers from flying.

Greenpeace and other campaign groups have called for air travel to be dramatically reduced and encouraged consumers to catch the train for their European holidays.

However, given the high cost of rail travel, this would risk putting overseas holidays out of reach for millions of British families.

A recent study by Greenpeace found that, on average, taking the train in major European cities was four times more expensive than flying.

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