Airport Plans "Madness"

The Green Party Councillor, Mark Hood, has attacked what he called Labour's "bonfire of regulations" after news of plans for a new Heathrow runway.

Mark Hood was speaking to West Kent Radio in a live interview on the Friday drivetime programme with Martin Webber.

Mark Hood, who is a Borough and County Councillor, said "it is madness to be going down this route".

The Labour government has said it believes big infrastructure investments will boost economic growth and tax revenue and therefore enable more spending on public services.

Labour expects to push through planning approval for a third runway at Heathrow in this parliament and is expected to allow Gatwick to increase flights by 60% by allowing it to upgrade a stand-by runway.

The government has also this week signalled its approval for a £10 billion road crossing of the Thames, called the Lower Thames Crossing.

Mark Hood said the government should be taxing frequent flyers more to curb air travel demand, while the new Thames crossing would only relieve congestion for a few years before roads were again filled to capacity. 

Mark Hood also rejected Labour's suggestions that aviation's damage to the climate can be offset by using more "sustainable aviation fuels" derived from crops.  He said we had insufficient food security to use crops for aviation fuel.

Mark Hood began the West Kent Radio interview by giving his thoughts on the past week's failure by South East Water to supply fresh water in parts of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Bidborough.

He said South East Water should have alerted people sooner, so an effort could have been made to eek out supplies to stop the system draining down and creating air locks.

He also said the supply of bottled water should have been managed better.

You can listen to his interview here:

More from WEST KENT NEWS

  • "We definitely need a voice"

    The Tunbridge Wells Town Forum is asking the public to support a new Town Council in a consultation that's currently open.

  • Nigel Farage Suggests Referendum

    Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is to launch a campaign against what he says are “absolutely insane” local council reorganisation plans in Kent.

  • KCC Highways Chief Departs

    Reform UK’s new administration at Kent County Council has replaced its first cabinet member less than seven weeks into the job.

  • Roadworks "Tsar"

    The Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, Mike Martin, says he's appointed a local councillor to tackle poorly co-ordinated roadworks in the town.

  • New Tonbridge Hotel Planned

    Details have been revealed on how Tonbridge town centre might look when a replacement leisure centre, 122 new homes and a new doctor's surgery are built.

  • Hottest Day of Year

    The village of Frittenden near Cranbrook in Kent recorded a high of 33.8 degrees on Tuesday 1st July and was briefly the hottest place in Britain.

  • Getting People Into Work

    More than 20 per cent of Kent’s working age population are currently not in work

  • Still in the Post

    Three local MPs have described the Royal Mail’s letter delivery performance in the TN postcode area as “unacceptable".

On Air Now Through The Night 1:00am - 7:00am
Now Playing
Local News Feature West Kent Radio
Recently Played
  • Set Fire To The Rain Adele 6:28
  • I Love You Always Forever Donna Lewis 6:25
  • This Is The Last Time Keane 6:21

COMING UP

  • Alan Rustad

    7:00am - 10:00am

    West Kent Breakfast sponsored by Berry & Lamberts

  • Simon Jupp

    10:00am - Noon

    Mid Mornings