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Newquay Cornwall Airport challenges Greenpeace on the environmental costs of flying to Newquay
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Cornwall County Council, owners of Newquay Cornwall Airport, today
attacked the misleading story penned by Greenpeace campaigner Emily
Armistead in a national newspaper article published on Saturday, 19
March. Chris Cain, the Project Director for the Airport commented:
Had Greenpeace contacted us before penning their editorial, we would
have been able to furnish them with the facts based on detailed
research commissioned by the Council. These facts tell a different
story.
“Our own independent analysis on climate change strategies,
undertaken as part of our work on the airport’s masterplan,
demonstrates that flying to Cornwall from London is no more
environmentally damaging than travelling by car or train. Taking
into account the wider environmental impacts, flying is probably the
most environmentally sustainable mode of transport, as well as being
far quicker and cheaper. What’s more, passengers using the service
have also paid for the social costs of the carbon emitted five times
over through the APD (air passenger duty) they have paid.”
“In seeking to mark Newquay out for a wider campaign against the
aviation industry, Greenpeace has failed to understand the special
circumstances which mean that the average statistics in common
currency and used by anti-aviation lobbying organisations do not
apply in this case. They have also completely ignored the important
role the airport and air services play in meeting the travelling
needs of Cornish residents and visitors to Cornwall and in
supporting the Cornish economy.”
“By attacking British Airways for scheduling its first new domestic
service to a UK regional destination in over 20 years, Greenpeace
has unwittingly attacked Newquay Cornwall Airport, Cornwall County
Council and therefore indirectly Cornwall, within which there is
huge support for the airport and the air services it offers.”
Cornwall is one of the poorest parts of the UK, with GDP per head at
less than 75% of the UK average. Not only does Newquay Cornwall
Airport sustain a significant number of jobs, it also enables
businesses in Cornwall to visit clients and suppliers, and to
operate more efficiently. It also helps the tourism sector to
attract additional short break and off peak visitors.
Any reduction in flights from Newquay would effectively cut off
Cornwall from the rest of the UK and the wider world by forcing
passengers to use modes of transport that are not only worse
environmentally, but completely impractical for many people. (Rail
travel times average 4.5 to 5.0 hours. Driving times are typically
five and a half hours or more, versus two hours’ journey time by
air.)
Economic Portfolio holder for the Council Andrew Mitchell added:
“Does Greenpeace really think that flying should be reserved for
those lucky enough to live near major airports or political opinion
formers? If so, they are ignoring the needs of ordinary people
wanting to visit Cornwall; Cornish residents wanting to go on
holiday and small businesses in Cornwall struggling to provide
employment, not to mention our own principal desire – to grow the
county’s economy.”
20 March 2007