Car pollution fears if Gatwick Airport expands
22.01.12
Sevenoaks will see an increase in air pollution if Gatwick Airport expands as planned, the Chronicle reports. The passenger hub is expected to grow to welcome 40 million travellers a year by 2020, and Sevenoaks District Council has warned the level of car fumes will rise dramatically if this goes ahead, as the M25, M20 and M26 – all of which run the length of the district – will become busier than ever.
In an invited response to the Gatwick master plan, the council said the points where these motorways pass through Sevenoaks are designated Air Quality Management Areas. It would like to see an increase in public transport links to the airport, to lessen the burden on the major roads if the expansion goes ahead.
The response concedes that the airport is a major employer for many Sevenoaks residents and an important part of the economy. But it adds that the increase in carbon dioxide as a result of the expansion would have a huge impact on the district and that residents' needs must be taken in to account. The council is also concerned about the increasing noise levels on the southern edges of Sevenoaks from increased plane noise.
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