Heathrow is a problem here too

It might be easy to suppose that the outrageous Labour plan for a third runway at Heathrow has little impact on this area. Climate change (and it does exist, despite the bleatings of those with a vested interest in motoring or the oil industry) affects us all. The pollution from an expanded Heathrow will affect the planet. But more immediately we are under the flight path to the various expanding airports on or near our county borders. Recent consultations show that revised flightpaths will clip St Albans.

Perhaps even more annoying is the diverted rail investment. The Government clealy does not get it. We DON’T want a new high speed rail line TO an airport. We want high speed rail lines instead of airports.

What can we do? Support the protestors at Heathrow, at Stansted and in Harpenden (concerned about the menace from Luton airport). Don’t fly unless you really have to. Going to Paris? Go by train. Brussels? Train. Spain? Train (yes – really , I did it this summer).

Am I calling for a boycott? A boycott always smacks of hurting yourself to prove a point. If you want to, do it. The point is, however, that travelling by train rather than by air is often more pleasant. There are exceptions, like the west coast mainline. And the pricing policy required by this Government makes train travel seem an expensive way of moving about. But think train first. And don’t use BAA airports.

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