The environmental, economic and social impacts
Luton Rising’s plan to build a Terminal 2 and expand Luton Airport’s capacity to 32 million passengers per annum would have huge negative impacts on the environment, economy and quality of life:
- 60% more flights overall, with many of those in the very early morning and late evening to allow low-cost airlines to turn their planes round multiple times a day – so Luton residents would suffer 70% more flights at night (11pm to 7am) and 50% more during the day
- A significant increase in the noise footprint which badly impacts communities all around the Airport, but particularly in South Luton, with no mitigation: the A321neo planes favoured by Wizz Air sound just as loud as the A321s, and being larger and heavier are more noisy in any case
- Up to 40,000 additional passenger journeys each day by car to and from the Airport on local roads (not just the M1, but the A505 and the Lower Luton Road), which is more than likely to increase the occurrence of gridlock, rat-running and delays and hence costs to other road users including local businesses
- 60% increase in carbon emissions from the flights, at a crucial time when the impacts of Climate Change are now so obvious, with aviation emissions being three times more damaging due to contrails and high altitude pollutants: and there’s still no proven-at-scale way to decarbonise aviation despite industry spin
- The “aviation growth = more jobs” myth is well-rehearsed and often misleading information that includes not just some additional low-grade jobs at the airport, but includes so-called induced jobs, and jobs which may be displaced from elsewhere – the evidence is never transparent and properly independently verified as the this detailed paper false hopes cruel hoax explains
- The “aviation growth = economic benefit” myth is equally pernicious – cheap flights encourage people to spend money abroad, and in 2019 (UK aviation’s busiest-ever year) the balance of trade deficit in Tourism was £30 billion according to the Office of National Statistics: so the government is shooting itself in the foot when it claims aviation is vital to the economy, since frivolous flying clearly isn’t, and business flights have reduced due to online meetings and more pressure on companies to be environmentally responsible
- Impacts on health and well-being due to noise disturbance at night and early in the morning, and noise impacts on schools which affect learning, all of which decrease quality of life and are likely to increase NHS costs since night noise is linked to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
- A reduction in Air Quality at and around the airfield due to the increased numbers of cars and aircraft, as well as the particulates from kerosene aircraft fuel and from aircraft brakes and tyres: Luton already suffers from poor air quality and one location on the airfield has failed air quality standards
- Loss of valuable habitat – Wigmore Valley Park, a County Wildlife Site and Asset of Community Value due to its wild orchids and ancient hedgerows, as well as a vital buffer between local housing and the airfield, will be largely concreted over to build Terminal 2, more aircraft stands and massive car parks.
Where would the impacts be felt?
The simple answer is: all around the airport. The only urban area within 10 miles of the Airport not regularly overflown by aircraft is Luton itself (apart from South Luton). Otherwise, flights cross the towns and villages of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire in large numbers from early morning until the small hours, with cargo flights at night.
In 2019 at its busiest with 18 million passengers, we had to endure 230 arrivals or departures a day during the airport’s noisiest ever year. Add 60% more to that – plus 40,000 more passengers a day journeying to and from the Airport – and it’s beyond reasonable, with the harms outweighing the benefits, as the National Planning Inspectors concluded when they examined the plans.
Is anything safe?
Apparently not: LLAL is willing to sacrifice Wigmore Valley Park – an open green space with some ancient hedgerows, wild orchids and popular with local people for recreation. This would become Terminal 2, aircraft stands and massive car parks for a supposedly “green controlled” development!
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