‘Growing Luton will not deliver the economic growth the government so desperately wants.’
The government’s decision to approve Luton’s airport expansion plans will harm the environment and not deliver the economic growth the government wants, think tanks have warned.
The expansion will nearly double Luton’s capacity from 18 million to 32 million passengers per year.
This comes despite the planning inspectorate’s recommendation to block the expansion on environmental grounds.
Dr Alex Chapman, senior economist at the New Economics Foundation, said: “Growing Luton will not deliver the economic growth the government so desperately wants.
“Business air travel has collapsed over the last few years and even the airlines admit it isn’t coming back.”
The NEF also pointed out that “airport expansion isn’t a magic bullet for economic growth”.
The think tank estimates that the expansion will result in eight million more UK residents travelling abroad for holidays, money that it argues could be spent on UK high streets instead.
Chapman added: “The UK already has enough capacity for 300 million passengers to fly in and out every year. Cheap flights are widely available.
“If this government is so desperate for growth, it should focus on investing properly in the vital public services upon which the health of our economy really depends.”
The environmental charity Green Alliance has warned that the expansion will undermine the UK’s climate credibility.
Johann Beckford, senior policy advisor at the Green Alliance, said: “Doubling passenger and flight numbers will increase emissions, air pollution and noise.
“This latest misguided project does more to undermine UK climate credibility than it does to expand the economy as, once again, the growth impact of the expansion is likely to be overstated.
“With almost 90% of Luton flights taken for leisure, this decision gives priority boarding to British tourists taking their money out of the country to spend abroad.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn’t have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
