 Press Release - 5 August 2005 |
Friends of the Earth has today issued a new study showing that airport expansion is bad for the East of England's economy. Stop Stansted Expansion has issued the following comment for journalists' use if required in connection with the news. Links to the study and to the Friends of the Earth press release are given in Notes to Editors below.
RAPID GROWTH IN AIR TRAVEL IS UNSUSTAINABLE ECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTALLY
Attributable to Brian Ross, Economics Adviser, Stop Stansted Expansion:
“The official Government statistics show that air travel was responsible for
a whopping £15 billion balance of payments deficit for Britain last year.
In 2004, British residents made more than 50 million overseas trips by air
compared to only 20 million overseas residents flying in to visit Britain."
"It beggars belief that the Government continues to give massive tax
exemptions to the aviation industry which is not only the fastest growing
cause of global warming but also a massive drain on regional economies
throughout the UK."
"The Government needs to explain how it benefits our economy to subsidise an
Irish airline buying American aeroplanes to transport millions of British
people to spend their money abroad."
"In promoting endless airport expansion, the aviation industry seems to be
saying 'To hell with the planet and to hell with the national economy, our
business interests come first.'”
ENDS
NOTE TO EDITORS
Brian Ross can be contacted for further information and comment on T 01279 814961 or M 07850 937143
SSE Campaign Office: 01279 870558
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH PRESS RELEASE
Friday 5 August 2005
Airport expansion is bad for the East of England's economy, new research shows
The boom in flights from airports in the East of England is coming at a
hefty cost to the local economy, with the region losing almost five times
more revenue than it gains from aviation, according to new research
published today by Friends of the Earth using data from the Office of
National Statistics. UK air travelers using the region's airports are
spending £1.9 billion more abroad per year more than foreign visitors flying
in to the region, contradicting claims that airport expansion is good for
the economy.
The situation could get a lot worse if the region's airports, Stansted,
Norwich, Southend and Luton, expand to cater for further growth in passenger
numbers. The number of trips abroad by UK residents would increase far more
than the number of visitors to the UK. The proposed expansion would lead to
an annual deficit to the region of £3.8 billion by 2020. Popular tourist
destinations, such as the Great Yarmouth, Cromer and Hunstanton are
particularly likely to suffer.
Available in full from Richard Dyer, Friends of the
Earth, T 0113 389 9960 or M 07940 850328, Email richardd@foe.co.uk
The full Friends of the Earth report 'Why airport expansion is bad for
regional economies' can be accessed online at:
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/regional_tourism_deficit.pdf
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