Opposing airport expansion sounds like a great way to lose a popularity contest. But we are not against flying.
What we do say though is you can’t have more of it without producing more of the greenhouse gases government says it is pledged to reduce.
So what we argue for is just plain common sense: instead of airport expansion we need better ground transport: we need to make it easier – and cheaper – to choose a high speed train instead of a plane, especially for those short hops.
Fact is, aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Aircraft blight the lives of thousands of people living under flight paths and anywhere near airports. They cause local air pollution and water pollution, and the noise causes problems for miles around.
Expanding airports would just add to all this and of course, devastate even more of our countryside.
Much of the growth in aviation has been driven by business people taking advantage of the cheap fares to commute to work like some people take buses. And others wealthy enough to have a second home abroad and to visit it at the drop of a hat.
So let’s not delude ourselves into thinking airport expansion is for the benefit of ordinary working people taking a well-earned holiday.
Most reasonable people will be happy to fly a little less if we provide good sustainable transport alternatives that don't come with so much damage to people's health and the environment.