20 March 2007
A story in the <a href=’http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article2366511.ece’ target=’_blank’>Independent</a> on Saturday – in which a Greenpeace campaigner criticised the establishment of a new British Airways service from Gatwick to Newquay, and offered free train tickets to people booked on the inaugural flight – has brought a strong defence from <a href=”http://www.newquay-airport.co.uk/” target=”_blank”>Newquay airfield</a>.
“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,” said Airport Project Director. “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.”
The airport points out that the loss of air services from Newquay would effectively cut off Cornwall from the rest of the UK and the wider world by making passengers use modes of transport that are not only worse environmentally, but completely impractical for many people. Rail travel times (from London), says the airport, 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.
“Does Greenpeace really think that flying should be reserved for those lucky enough to live in the Home Counties or self appointed political opinion formers near major airports or political opinion formers?” asks the Council’s Economic Portfolio holder, Andrew Mitchell. “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.”
Newquay Airport is also known as RAF St Mawgan.
