Greens believe the issue is especially pertinent following the Government’s recent proposals for more runways in Southeast England, including the expansion proposals for Gatwick.
They believe local authorities should be given additional powers to set emissions charges and increase landing-charges at Gatwick, as has been achieved at Zurich airport.
“Just as Mayor Livingstone has introduced charges for road users, we also need a congestion charge for air traffic. Croydon residents suffer the huge hidden costs that the aviation industry passes on to the rest of society.
Greens are telling the aviation industry to pay its way and cough up for the hidden health risks, noise misery and environmental damage it causes. Only then will there be a serious incentive to stem the unsustainable growth in air traffic," said Darren.
The ‘hidden’ costs of climate change, and of the other negative impacts of the UK aviation industry, are estimated at £3.8 billion a year, 26% of the total for the whole of the European Union. Gatwick’s share is estimated at almost £276 million a year. If Gatwick built two new runways, this could more than triple to £966 million a year.
In addition, international agreements allow the aviation industry to get away without paying tax on fuel. UK aviation is subsidised by tax breaks amounting to some £7 billion annually and Gatwick airport’s share of this is estimated at well over £500 million a year. If Gatwick built two new runways, this could rise to almost £1.8 billion a year.
Greens argue that the polluter must pay and want to see these funds recouped through taxation policies on emissions and congestion.
Zurich airport has a system of applying an emissions charge in which the most highly polluting aircraft pay the highest charges. Greens would go further than the Zurich system and argue that if the air traffic congestion charge were set to reclaim just one-fifth of Gatwick airport’s hidden costs, this would raise over £55 million a year.
Greens are calling on the government to give local authorities the power to tax the aviation industry and suggest that revenue from the congestion charge should be ring-fenced to help fund environmental improvements and sustainable transport initiatives.
Darren Johnson adds, ‘The Government’s new proposals for more runways will turn the whole of Southeast England into a tangled mass of flight paths bringing even more misery for the people of Croydon already. We don’t need more runways and more roads, which would only bring more pollution and more noise.
Currently, the aviation industry is passing on huge hidden costs to the rest of society and only a congestion charge on air traffic will help remedy this situation.”
ENDS