Aviation industry growth is 'unsustainable'

Tuesday, 29 July 2003 12:00 AM

An influential group of MPs have today asserted that the forecast growth of the UK aviation industry is: 'unsustainable and unacceptable'.

The warning came from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, who in their report entitled: 'Budget 2003 and Aviation', are heavily critical of the Department for Transport (DfT), for both its analysis of future growth and its priorities.

Further, the committee believes: 'There is enough potential in existing airports to meet future demand'.

The committee argues that the forecast growth in UK aviation could accentuate global warming and destroy the Government's recent commitment to cutting carbon dioxide emissions. The Government has pledged to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions from the UK by 60 per cent - with a target date of 2050 - under the Kyoto protocols.

However, John Horam MP, chair of the committee at the time of the inquiry said: 'The forecast increase in passengers - from 180 million passengers a year now to over 500 million by 2030 - will have a huge impact on global warming.'

The report goes on to criticise the DfT for apparently failing to acknowledge the potential impact of the aviation industry given the new context of the Government's environmental objectives.

Mr Horam said: 'The DfT airports consultation fails to take on board the new direction in policy initiated by the Energy White Paper, while the growth forecast in aviation - even on a constrained basis - will wreck the aspirations it contains.'

The committee also accuses the DfT of emphasising the economic and social objectives for airports to the detriment of the environmental concerns.

The committee's report was greeted by sceptism by the Airport Operators Association (AOA) who were surprised that the EAC could have come up with a different conclusion to the Transport Select Committee who argued the case for the sustainable growth of airports.

AOA Chief Executive, Keith Jowett commented, 'The fact that the Committee is advocating pricing people out of flying as a means of addressing the serious issues which are raised. It will be a brave MP who tells their constituents that they will no longer be able to take their hard earned holidays abroad or travel to see distant friends and relatives, let alone tell the businesses located in their constituencies that the air links on which they depend will no longer be affordable.'

In what will surely be a huge blow for those pushing for the expansion in the South East, the committee also concludes that there is enough capacity within the current infrastructure.

Mr Horam said: 'There is enough potential in existing airports to meet future demand - if we make rather more realistic assumptions than the DfT has done.'

'We cannot get away from the fact that airlines pay no tax on aviation fuel - whereas 80 per cent of the price motorists pay goes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Government needs to use a range of fiscal and other tools to decouple the growth in aviation from economic growth.'

Tags: