Members of St Albans Green party demonstrated today outside the venue for a consultation on Luton Airport’s expansion plans.

 

Outside the Jubilee Centre in St Albans, the protesters ‘binned’ symbolic paper planes to show the many reasons why the expansion plans should be rejected, including noise, climate damage, pollution and increased rail and road traffic.

 

They also criticised the consultation as ‘meaningless’ as it contains no option for rejecting the airport expansion outright.

 

Green Councillor Simon Grover said, “The positive impact on jobs and the economy has been hugely overstated. This is a low-cost, low-wage business that actually contributes suprisingly little considering how massive it is. The impact of quadrupling the size of this airport will be huge - on local people and on the fight against climate change. It could change the face of our district. We must oppose it."

 

Green member Jill Mills added that noise pollution from aircraft had increased recently and there would be no let up from overhead noise if the plans went ahead. Greens say that the overcrowded rail line will be even worse and that there are many better ways to create long term jobs for local people.