Latest News

Civil Aviation Bill

The Bill, which has had its second reading, gives the CAA the duty to look after airline passengers but no duty to protect the environment.  GACC is supporting our colleagues at Stansted and Heathrow in lobbying MPs to amend the Bill, and have had a meeting with Maria Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. 

See briefing note.

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Runway speculation refuted

GACC has had a sensible meeting with Sir David Rowlands (left), chairman Gatwick Airport Ltd, and welcomes their decision not to get involved in the current overheated runway speculation.

See press release.

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GACC submits response to the Gatwick master plan

The Gatwick master plan was published on 13 October.  GACC has submitted a hard-hitting Response. 

The proposed increase to 40 million passengers a year will mean 117 extra flights a day, with a serious forecast increase in noise and in climate change damage.  The economic benefits claimed are shown to be grossly exaggerated. 

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'Heathwick'

The proposal for a high speed rail link between Heathrow and Gatwick has attracted much attention in the media.  It had no author and was a total nonsense, and has been rubbished by many airlines -

  • if deep-bored, it would be vastly expensive for little benefit
  • if not deep-bored it would do huge environmental damage
  • it would not be straight, and thus it is doubtful if it could do the journey in 15 minutes as claimed
  • double immigration and customs
  • no recognition that there is no space for a second runway at Gatwick. 
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Aviation policy consultation

GACC has made a major contribution to the Government's future aviation policy - a new white paper is to be published in March 2012. 

GACC has submitted our Response to the Scoping Document together with 11 'Evidence Papers'.

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GACC Newsletter for September 2011 contains an analysis of how the new Government air traffic forecasts and climate change  statement affect Gatwick, and a summary of our input to the Department for Transport new policy for aviation.

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GACC has submited an objection to the expansion of Redhill aerodrome.  There are too many aircraft already in the area, and - with a hard runway - Redhill could become a second Gatwick runway. 

Read our objection.

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Noise Action Plan. 

The Gatwick Noise Action Plan was published - after two years delay - in July 2011.  It contains some small useful measures but no commitment to reduce the total level of noise caused by the airport. For an analysis of which of our suggestions have been included click here.

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Aviation museum permission refused.

Planning permission has been refused for a new aviation museum in the Green Belt, on the northern boundary of Gatwick. 

GACC objected on the grounds that this would in effect be an extension of the airport, and would mean building a huge new hanger in the gap between the airport and the historic village of Charlwood.  Read our objection.

The owner has now (January 2012) appealed.

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Air passenger duty to go up.

The Chancellor has resisted airline lobbying, and has decided that air passenger duty should not be reduced, and has confirmed that it will go up in April 2012.  That is in line with GACC's response to the consultation on the future of air passenger duty.  Response.

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                                                        Van Gogh. Starry night 

 

Night flights. 

A consultation on the number of night flights, and the size of the noise point quota over the coming six years, has been postponed.

In an ideal world there would be no night flights.  GACC will study the consultation paper carefully and respond in due course.  Our aim will be to persuade the Government to reduce the number of night flights, and to reduce the amount of noise created at night.

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