Bristol Airport Action Network, (BAAN) have opposed the expansion of Bristol Airport from 10 million to 12 million passengers a year, since the application was first made in 2018.

There has been a public inquiry into the original refusal of permission, a statutory review in the High Court and at present BAAN awaits the outcome of a request to take the issue to the Court of Appeal.

On Friday, 21st April BAAN expanded their vision from simply opposing Bristol Airport’s expansion, to opposing all UK airport expansion plans.

Months of planning and negotiation led to a conference in London, attended by delegates from 18 different groups from across the UK, to take the first steps in a national campaign. It was a very successful event, which easily arrived at common ground against the unchecked growth of aviation.

Whilst all other areas of business, industry and local government have clear plans to reduce carbon consumption, aviation is being allowed to grow passenger numbers and thus increase harmful emissions. The lack of tax on aviation fuel and the reduction in airport duty, weigh government subsidies towards this luxury form of travel, rather than other land-based transport such as buses and trains, driving demand and increasing emissions.

A 4,000 strong march followed, between Trafalgar Square and the Department for Transport, which featured performance art brought together from across the country as well as concerned citizens. 60 Red Rebels, (usually only seen in groups of 6) and a doubled fleet of Landing Crew, paraded in an awed hush, Cbut the huge combined XR rhythms band brought energy further down the marching line. The Bristol Climate Choir, which formed for the High Court case, gathered it new branches in Bath, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea & London, with over 400 members. In a powerful pause outside Downing Street and in Parliament square they sang “We can’t tell our children that we have not tried.”

A letter was handed in at the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, calling for a change in outdated planning policy, which does not currently count the cumulative impact of airport expansions across the UK, and to the Aviation Minister at the Department for Transport challenging the growth trajectory.

Outside the DfT statements were read from MPs Dan Norris, Wera Hobhouse, and Caroline Lucas supporting the campaign and there were speakers from Safe Landing (a national organisation of aviation workers seeking a just transition from aviation jobs to jobs within greener sectors.) One spoke of his sadness at having to give up his ‘childhood dream come true’ job where he had followed his father and grandfather into being a pilot, but now realised the damage that flying was doing to the planet. He said that it had taken time for him to realise this fact as the industry itself had played down its climate impact.’They lied to me and they are lying to you.’ he said.

‘Possible’ and the Group for Action on Leeds and Bradford Airport (GALBA) spoke about their legal case against the government’s ‘Jet Zero’ strategy. Flight Free, The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) and BAAN also spoke.

A people’s assembly gathered ideas for the onward national campaign and the event ended with a poem written during and in response to the day.

For more information about BAAN’s national campaign please email [email protected]