MP COLUMN
views from
Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire
Airports are wonderful places if you want to travel overseas – even when governments dissuade us from doing so – yet airports are also controversial. Put on one side the objections to airport expansion, it is the issue of accounting for the “externalities” of airports that really irritates me.
You see, Luton Airport is undergoing an expansion. The land is owned by Luton Council and both they and the airport operator are likely to profit handsomely from this expansion. Meanwhile, the residents of the surrounding towns and villages in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire pay the cost in terms of more air pollution, more noise pollution and greater congestion. These costs are the “externalities” and they are not recognised in the accounting by government. This irks me and I have been running a one-man campaign to persuade the government to look again and make changes. Opportunities do not come along often, but last month I spoke in the second reading of the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill in Parliament. The Bill will grant new powers to modernise airspace to reduce noise and emissions and help to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys for passengers. It will also give powers to fine airports who don’t implement changes fast enough. All well and good, as modernising the use of airspace will allow us to generate lower CO2 emissions from aviation, reduce noise for those near flight paths and improve punctuality for passengers. 6
The Bill is particularly relevant for Bedfordshire as many people work at London Luton Airport and in its supply chain and because Cranfield University plays a leading role in our understanding of aircraft, airport and airspace management. During the parliamentary debate and in a meeting with the Minister last year, I raised the concern that many of my constituents felt their ability to participate in the consultation was curtailed, not just because of Covid restrictions, but because they were given a limited choice on what they were being consulted. The consultation offered just two options from flight paths from the east and two options from the west, however, it offered no option to object to any changes to the existing flight paths. All of the options will have noise and air pollution consequences for many towns and villages in Bedfordshire so I asked the Minister to ensure the Bill allows for the public to have a real voice in the resolution of deciding future flightpath changes. I also raised the sharing of benefits. The planned expansion of Luton Airport, which is the driver for the flight path changes, will be to the financial benefit of London Luton Airport and its landlord, Luton Borough Council who will gain from considerable increases in their revenues. I might not be able to get these amendments added to this Bill, but the time is surely coming when we will ask for a better sharing of the benefits.
