PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO DLR SERVICE BETWEEN WESTFERRY, BECKTON AND WOOLWICH ARSENAL - RAIL REPLACEMENT BUSES WILL BE RUNNING- PLEASE CHECK TFL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Schedule for the day :
12.00 noon Speeches outside City Airport –including
John Stewart (leader of the succesful anti-Heathrow expansion campaign),
Murad Qureshi (GLA member, Labour) and
Darren Johnson (GLA member, Green Party).
12:15 “Train not plane” brigade bus leave City Airport on open-top bus, bound for Euston.
1.40 pm “Train not plane” brigade take special carriage on the train to Manchester.
3.50 pm “Train not plane” brigade arrives at Manchester Piccadilly station.
4.30 -5.45 pm “Train not plane” brigade join demonstration at Terminal 3, Manchester Airport.
Phil Thornhill from Campaign against Climate Change said “As unprecedented flooding devastates Pakistan, record temperatures stoke raging wildfires around Moscow and torrential downpours cause landslides that kill thousands in China - its time we got serious about the escalating threat from climate change before its too late. And we’re not getting serious about reducing climate-destabilising emissions until we get to grips with the their fastest growing source. Aviation symbolises the high-emission lifestyles of the developed world that are threatening billions, especially in the most vunerable communities, around the world. We can start to get to grips with the growth in aviation by illiminating the shorter journeys that can be made in other, less carbon-intensive, ways. This is the time to show we’re getting serious with aviation, serious with unnecessary high emissions, serious with climate change – serious, in other words, with the greatest threat facing humanity.”
Anne-Marie Griffin, Chair of ‘Fight the Flights’ said: “An end to unnecessary domestic flights for trips which could be taken by train, would have a hugely positive impact on the residents around London City Airport. Not only would they experience less flight noise and pollution from City Airports' domestic flights, but also from those heading to Heathrow. Travellers taking the train instead of the plane could help improve the lives and health of thousands of Londoners.”
Robbie Gillett from the ‘Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport’ coalition said "There are currently around 38 flights per day between Manchester and the London hubs. Airlines such as Flybe who promote these domestic flights are encouraging airport expansion and threatening the stability of the climate in order to line their own pockets. These flights are the most unnecessary of all and should stop immediately."
