24 March 2021
• Tracey Harwood: “We need to improve our public transport links to reduce car use and significantly curb the increase to air pollution”
The Green Party has reiterated its call for the government to scrap its £27bn road building programme and all airport expansion. Such investment severely undermines efforts to cut air pollution and carbon emissions, announced in last year’s budget [1].
Mole Valley and Epsom and Ewell Green Party are opposing Gatwick Airport’s plans for a 2nd runway. Election candidate Lisa Scott-Conte says “residents in our area are already negatively impacted in so many ways by the airport; poor air quality, noise, traffic congestion, illegal parking. The Airport’s plan to increase the number of flights by 40% not only challenges our ability to meet our legally binding carbon reduction targets, but will have a direct detrimental impact on residents’ physical and mental health.”
Latest data shows movement for commuting is declining and is expected to remain low [2]. Road building to this extent is uncalled for in anyone’s eyes. Focus needs to be on upgrading public transport that offers a desirable alternative to private car use.
Election candidate Tracey Harwood adds, “The airport expansion will see increased traffic congestion on Surrey roads as commuters head south to Gatwick and north to Heathrow. Our roads already struggle to cope with local traffic and the condition of the surfaces in some areas would need significant improvement. Increasing our road network may seem like a solution but instead we need to improve our public transport links to reduce car use for daily and airport commutes. Alongside walking and cycling infrastructure improvements, this will help to significantly curb the increase to air pollution and ensure safer levels in residential areas.”
