Green groups back Heathrow protest (From Bournemouth Echo)

Green groups back Heathrow protest

7:30am Wednesday 15th August 2007 in

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ENVIRONMENTAL groups locally are backing the protest camp at Heathrow and say it mirrors their concerns over the expansion of Bournemouth Airport.

But they warn that the week-long protest camp next to the west London airport could be infiltrated by a small minority intent on illegal action which would detract from the real message of the campaign.

But whatever the outcome of the protest, people must curb their "binge flying" and lifestyles, they say.

The chairman of Bournemouth and Poole Greenpeace, Richard Hillyard, says he will be joining the Heathrow campaigners on Friday.

"Heathrow and BAA are being targeted because it's a major UK airport and campaigning there will get a lot of attention, but it is really a statement against the expansion of many local UK airports, Bournemouth included," he said.

"If aviation expands at the rate the government wants, then every other industry would have to be zero carbon, which in reality has no chance of happening.

"Greenpeace is trying to mobilise the focus on binge flying', trying to get the message across that there's no need to fly internally in this country just because it's cheap."

He says public transport needs to be drastically improved to give people a real alternative.

"It will be a real shame if a small group of people infiltrating the Heathrow camp do something illegal because it will create media headlines for the wrong reasons and the real issue will be lost."

"I support what's happening at Heathrow and I would be there if I could," said Angela Pooley, from East Dorset Friends of the Earth.

"Everybody is quoting terrorist laws but all I would say is that this is supposed to be a peaceful protest.

"If people's basic freedom of speech is taken away it's very wrong.

"Aviation is one of the fastest growing contributors to climate change.

"Everyone is now accepting that we cannot ignore climate change any longer and this means our lifestyles must change dramatically."

She said there was a belief that expanded local airports like Bournemouth will reduce people travelling to bigger airports.

"But research shows that this will simply create an increase in demand for local flights as well creating more negative effects," said Angela.

"Bournemouth's statement that it will be carbon neutral by 2015 is absolutely nonsense because it does not consider the number of planes taking off.

"Under Bournemouth Airport's plan, car park capacity is being increased to 5,000. How is that environmentally friendly?"