Meacher Attacks Airport Expansion

Meacher Attacks Airport Expansion
Guardian, UK

Matthew Tempest, political correspondent
Monday November 10, 2003

Former environment minister Michael Meacher today attacked the arguments
in favour of further airport expansion ahead of the government's aviation
white paper.
Writing in the Financial Times, Mr Meacher argues that the aviation
industry unjustly receives a £10bn per annum hidden subsidy, and rejects
the "predict and provide" arguments so far put forward for expansion.

Instead, he calls for investment in electric rail for the UK and for VAT
to be put on aviation fuel and ticket sales.

Mr Meacher, who was environment minister from 1997 to 2003, has fought
against both genetically modified crops and airport expansion since being
sacked by Tony Blair in the summer.

In today's article he attacks the case of BAA and others seeking a third
runway at Heathrow, the expansion of Stansted or the building of a new
airport in the south-east.

He points out that the plans anticipate an increase in air travel based on
the assumptions that fares will continue to fall by 1%, and that airlines
will continue to enjoy their current level of subsidisation at the expense
of the environment.

He writes: "Unlike other branches of the transport industry, airlines are
exempt from fuel tax. If aviation fuel were taxed at the same rate as
private motorists' fuel, it would raise £6.3bn in this financial year.

"In addition, the aviation industry does not pay value added tax on the
purchase of aircraft or airline tickets - a subsidy worth £4bn a year."

Mr Meacher also criticises one of the key arguments of the "Freedom to
Fly" coalition - a body of airlines and airport owners arguing for
expansion - that to halt growth would hurt the ability of the low-paid to
take foreign holidays.

He writes: "A Civil Aviation Authority survey in 2001 showed that, in an
average year, fewer than half the population fly, and they are
overwhelmingly high-income earners. The poorest tenth hardly ever fly."

He also points out that since aviation is exempt from the Kyoto protocol,
about 50% of any reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could be wiped out
by future growth in air travel.

Finally, he asserts that: "No other city in the rich world tolerates what
London does, with aircraft flying low over a large segment of south and
west London every 30 seconds at peak times, disrupting conversation by day
and sleep by night."

He says a further 600,000 people could be subjected to being under flight
paths by 2030.

The government is expected to publish its aviation white paper by the end
of the year. Publication has already been delayed after a legal ruling
forced Alistair Darling, the transport secretary, to consider Gatwick for
expansion, despite the local authority previously having obtained a legal
safeguard.


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