Welcome

SASIG is a group of around 50 local authorities from across the country, all with an interest in strategic aviation issues. These local authorities comprise a population of around 14 million people, representing nearly a quarter of the total population of England.

SASIG works for Local Authorities in a strategic manner on national aviation policy so as to reconcile economic, social and environmental issues in a sustainable way.

SASIG's objectives are:
. to promote the need for long-term, sustainable aviation policies that lead to a reduction in the environmental impact of aviation whilst securing appropriate social and economic benefits;
. to increase understanding of the local and global impacts of aviation on the environment and communities;
. to identify and promote the changes needed to move towards sustainable aviation practices within the industry and Government; and
. to work with other organisations and the Government on the formulation of policy advice.

SASIG Policy Principles
i. To give the people of the UK the social and business opportunities to travel from their nearest airport where feasible.
ii. To capture, not stifle, the social and economic benefits of aviation using robust and objective evidence.
iii. To direct aviation growth to locations where it will assist sustainable economic regeneration.
iv. To minimise adverse impacts - social, economic and environmental - by protecting people and non-transferable habitats.
v. To ensure that the air transport sector rather than local communities pays the full costs of the impact of all air journeys.
vi. To offer the aviation industry tough but realistic parameters based upon associated impacts around which to secure growth.
vii. To ensure that good quality surface access links are provided to airports, particularly public transport links that create integrated transport hubs.
viii. To promote better point to point air services from regional airports, with sensitive control over all impacts.
ix. To cap the existing London Airports at the capacity of the existing number of runways, with careful controls imposed so as to reduce the adverse impacts over time.
x. To consider the concept of a new 24-hour airport in the South East, where it would have minimal impact on local communities.
xi. To support the coordination and integration of the full spectrum of national policies on issues relating to aviation. This must accord with international and regional policy-making and implementation.
xii. To promote investigation of the impacts of the air freight industry, supporting the development of air freight infrastructure where it is the most appropriate mode.
xiii. To encourage Governments and the aviation industry to make greater efforts to reduce aviation's impacts on climate change.

SASIG strongly urge that Government address the need for a new national aviation policy that:
. Is based on the need to control the impacts rather than the aviation activity.
. Has considered in detail all options for providing capacity to meet forecast demand, and for providing for other, lower levels of demand.
. Embraces the concept of integrated transport provision.
. Audits the parameters that should be used in any forecasts of future demand.
. Adopts an assessment process for aviation developments that explicitly includes all associated costs.
. Sets effective environmental limits for the aviation industry to meet, taking the appropriate form - regulation, charges, taxes, etc.
. Considers and mitigates against the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
. Develops the economic analysis of aviation, and in particular improves valuation of the net impact - benefits and disbenefits.
. Coordinates with other transport policies and with other associated national policies, such as climate change, and energy policies.

www.sasig.org.uk