Manchester Plane Stupid plead not guilty to airport protest charge

Six Manchester residents from the group Manchester Plane Stupid pleaded not guilty to their charge of aggravated trespass as they claim that in the light of Manchester airports contribution to runaway climate change, it was the necessary action to take. The trial will take place on February 21st 2011 and will be the first climate change trial of its kind in Manchester where expert climate scientists will defend the six against the polluting activities of Manchester airport.

On 24th May 2010, the six created a human circle around a stationary plane using arm tube lock-ons in order to keep the plane grounded. The six are challenging the recent decision to expand the World Freight Terminal which will involve the demolition of historic homes on Hasty Lane.

Manchester airport faces continued scrutiny for wanting to increase airport capacity whilst aviation expansion continues to be incompatible with climate change targets across the UK [1]. Following the recent decision to stop expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, the aviation industry is likely to look to regional airports such as Manchester to increase profits. The environmental and social impact of Manchester airport will further be on the spotlight during the trial as all the local councillors around the airport had their unanimous objection to expansion overturned by the Manchester Council Planning Committee in November 2009 [2].

Penny Woodson from local campaign group Manchester Climate Action said, "Despite the threat of climate change, Manchester Airport wants to demolish local people's homes to expand flight numbers and increase emissions. The public are facing VAT rises this January yet the aviation industry pays no VAT at all. With all these injustices stacking up, direct action is necessary." [3]

Another group who simultaneously used tripods to blockade the World Freight Terminal preventing airfreighted goods from being taken in and out have been charged with obstruction of the highway. Those defendants have already pleaded not guilty and will stand trial on 6th December 2010.

Notes for the Editor:

[1] http://www.aef.org.uk/downloads//AW_Regional_Airports_Paper_Sept2009.pdf A Briefing Paper from AirportWatch 'The Expansion of Regional Airports Really a Good Thing?

[2] In September 2009, local Councillors on the Wythenshawe Area Committee vote unanimously to reject the Airport's plans to demolish homes on Hasty Lane to expand the World Freight Centre.

SEMA submission to planning framework consultation

SEMA made an official submission to the "Core Strategy Pre-Publication Partial Consultation". This is part of forming the Local Development Framework for the Greater Manchester region. This is the framework against which future planning decisions will be made, including airport expansion plans.
 
You can see the documents that are being consulted on here:
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/3983/core_strategy_pre-publication_partial_consultation

The 'Need for Land' documents exactly details exactly how Manchester Airport is proposing to expand. It's a long read but how individual projects such as expanding the Freight Centre over Hasty Lane are part of a much larger, long-term plan to increase capacity and flight numbers. More flights, more noise, more emissions.

SEMA's submission argues that since the future of national aviation policy is unclear, including the High Court ruling that the 2003 Air Transport White Paper is not compatible with the 2008 Climate Act, it would be unwise for the Council to support expansion plans at this time. It also details arguments about the effects of the airport on jobs and the economy in the North West region.

End Domestic Flights demo at London City and Manchester Airports

On Saturday 4th September, campaigners from Manchester and London held a joint demonstration calling for an end to domestic flights. There are currently around 38 flights per day between Manchester and the London hubs.

Rally at London City Airport - Sept 2010

The day began with a rally in the morning at London City Airport. Campaigners then travelled through London on an open top bus to Euston where they boarded a train to Manchester. They were greeted off the train at Manchester Picadilly by a group of Manchester campaigners with placards and banners reading, "Trains Not Planes" as well as "Railways Not Runways".

Greeting the London campaigners at Manchester Picadilly train station.

They then joined a larger rally at Terminal 3 of Manchester Airport. Councillor Martin Eakins, Amanda Walters from Manchester Plane Stupid, Phil Thornhill from Campaign against Climate Change, John Stewart from Airportwatch and local Hasty Lane resident Peter Johnson all spoke about different airport expansion issues - including climate change, jobs, direct action and effects on local communities.

Rally at Manchester Airport - Sept 2010

Speaking before the event, 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. Aviation symbolises the high-emission lifestyles of the developed world that are threatening billions, especially in the most vuLnerable communities, around the world. We can start to get to grips with the growth in aviation by eliminating the shorter journeys that can be made in other, less carbon intensive, ways.”

Councillor Martin Eakins said, “Aviation from Manchester Airport contributes more greenhouse gasses than all other polluters put together in Manchester. Reducing our carbon output by ending domestic flights would go a long way to making our city environmentally sustainable.”

Some weren't convinced by Manchester Airport's green claims.

After the rally, the group headed to Hasty Lane for some fruit picking with the Abundance Project followed ba an evening party. The fruit was donated to a local community centre in Wythenshawe - showing what positive contributions Hasty Lane can make to the area without being turned into cargo sheds.

NEXT EVENT: End Domestic Flights and Evening Party at Hasty Lane

End Domestic Flights Demonstration and Evening Party at Hasty Lane
Saturday 4th September 2010
Meet at 4.30pm - Terminal 3 - Manchester Airport

Manchester Evening News pre-coverage:

SEMA, Campaign against Climate Change and Fight the Flights from London
City Airport have teamed up to organise a joint demonstration against
domestic flights on Sat 4th September.

The day will begin at 11am at London City Airport. Residents fighting the
increase in flight numbers will join climate campaigners on a special
chartered train from London Euston to Manchester.

There will then be a rally at Manchester Airport at Terminal 3 at 4.30pm.

Afterwards, join us for an evening party at Hasty Lane where we'll be
picking surplus fruit with the Abundance Project to donate to a local
community centre.

Abundance Manchester is a project which picks surplus or unwanted fruit
from gardens and public trees around South Manchester and distributes it
to local groups and communities.

This will all be followed by food and live ceilidh music with the Fig Band.

We hope you can join us for this enjoyable protest and party.

http://www.stopmanchesterairport.org.uk/
http://www.fighttheflights.com/
http://www.campaigncc.org/enddomesticflights

Manchester Plane Stupid breach airside security

On Monday 24th May 2010, activists from the group Manchester Plane Stupid breached airside security at Manchester Airport in a protest against the expansion of the airport. The protest involved two groups. The first group of 6 people breached the perimeter fence and created a human circle around a stationary plane using arm tube lock-ons.

A second group used tripods to blockade the road entrance to the World Freight Terminal preventing airfreighted goods from being taken in or out. They have unfurled a banner reading: “More air freight = more climate change. Stop all airport expansion now.”

The group were protesting against the recent decision to expand the World Freight Terminal which will involve the demolition of historic homes on Hasty Lane.

Lisa Jameson from Manchester Plane Stupid said, “This isn't just about airport expansion or rising carbon emissions. This is about challenging an economic system based on the absurdity of infinite growth on a planet of finite resources, a system which prioritises bail-outs for the banks and then makes us pay for it in public service cuts. Capitalism is the cause of the problem, climate change is one of its many symptoms.”

Following the recent decision to stop expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead airports, the aviation industry is likely to look to regional airports such as Manchester to increase profits.

“The third runway at Heathrow was stopped because ordinary people stood up to the government at the time and the aviation industry using a broad range of tactics. Direct action has historically played an important role in creating social change and will continue to do so.”

The aviation industry consistently overstate their importance in creating jobs and their contribution to the economy.

The lack of tax on aviation fuel is costing the UK economy £9 billion per year. There is also a tourism deficit in the North West region of £2.2 billion. That is the difference between what Britons flying abroad spend in foreign countries and what foreign visitors spend in the North West.

Each round of airport expansion is justified on the promise of more and more jobs. In the 1990s Manchester Airport promised to create 50,000 jobs with the second runway – but the actual number was far lower. We need to begin a just transition to a low carbon economy by creating jobs in sustainable industries such as rail and renewables”

Annie McLaughlin said, “Recently, we've seen attempts by British Airways to use the courts to overturn workers' right to strike. We support the rights of all workers to fight for good conditions. It is essential that the changes needed to prevent climate change are not used as an excuse to restrict workers rights.”

McLaughlin continued, “The proposed expansion of the freight terminal makes no sense, economically or environmentally. The existing capacity is not fully utilized and an expansion would simply be a stepping stone to expansion of the airport as a whole, which would be an environmental disaster.”

“With the planet on the verge of climate breakdown it is essential that the real cost of aviation expansion is taken seriously – currently emissions from aviation are not included in Manchester City Council's Climate Change Action Plan.”

Press Links

BBC News - 24th May 2010

The Guardian - on the wider movement against airport expansion - 25th May 2010

SKY news

The Sun - 24th May 2010

The Daily Mail - 24th May 2010

The Independent

Daily Mirror - 24th May 2010

Manchester Evening News

The Morning Star

Crains Business News

PHOTOS on Real Radio website

Key 103 (Manchester Radio)

Sunday Mercury - 24th May 2010

Radio City - Liverpool

Airport International - 24th May 2010

Biodiversity Walk at Manchester Airport

Sunday 9th May 2010

Around 60 people took part in the Biodiversity Walk organised by the Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport coalition. Local residents and campaigners visited green belt areas threatened by the planned expansion of Manchester Airport to learn about the habitats and species which are under threat.

Manchester Evening News pre-coverage of the walk - Friday 7th May 2010

Knutsford Guardian - Tuesday 25th May 2010

Members of other environmental campaigns around Greater Manchester came along to share their experiences of fighting to protect our natural landscapes from development. As well as a number of homes at Hasty Lane, several important habitats are either scheduled for destruction or likely to be badly affected by expansion plans.

On a family-friendly day out, residents and campaigners were able to see first hand some of the natural beauty still thriving in the shadow of the airport, as well as to learn from the Save our North West Green Belt and Save Chorlton Meadows campaigns about how best to build support and take on a process which too often disregards public opinion and environmental issues.

Manchester Airport has plans to remove areas such as parts of Sunbank Woodfrom the Greenbelt in order to build more carparks and freight sheds.  (Source:  Manchester’s Core Strategy, Manchester Airport Issues Paper, Refining Options Consultation April 2009 - page 8)  

The event is a continuation of the 'Adopt a Resident' scheme where campaigners have teamed up with threatened residents at Hasty Lane to help save their homes.

The areas visited included irreplaceable ancient woodlands directly adjacent to the site of planned development. These woodlands are home to a wide variety of plants and tree species as well as animals like badgers, foxes and buzzards. The proposed airport development would drastically alter the landscape in the area affecting for the survival of these woods.



Campaigners also visited an ancient pond which is home to a population of great crested newts, an endangered species found only in north west England. As well as the destruction of habitats like this, development can separate and isolate populations of a species; this interrupts the natural movement of animals and reduces their genetic diversity, harming their chances of survival.


Local biology enthusiasts explained how development has effects on biodiversity beyond the direct destruction of habitats, and how attempts by developers to offset the damage they cause are no substitute for leaving existing natural environments untouched. The areas earmarked for development should be protected by green belt status, but the airport seems determined to have this status removed to clear the way for development.

Hasty Lane resident Holly Johnson said, "This biodiversity walk aims to give people a visual experience of what airport expansion looks like. Not only is it bad for the climate and responsible for knocking down people's homes, it's also destroying beautiful green spaces. You cannot replace a 400 year old ancient woodland by planting some new trees down the road. That's not how biodiversity works."

Biodiversity enthusiast Alison Hunt said, "I never realised what historic and untouched corners of countryside still exist around the Ringway airport boundaries- ancient woodland and hedgerows, historic cottages and farms, tranquil fields and ponds. These hidden gems are now all threatened by the Airport's expansion plans to become the 'Heathrow of the North'."