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Ban all airport expansion in the UK to tackle air quality, urge Greens

Heathrow is due to get a third runway: Getty Images
Heathrow is due to get a third runway: Getty Images

A ban on all airport expansion in the UK is the only way to tackle the country’s poor air quality, the Greens said today.

The proposed clampdown on the heavily polluting aviation industry was revealed in their manifesto and would mean no third runway at Heathrow, or expansion at Manchester and Stansted which have considered developing their airports.

The party also wants to axe subsidies for aviation fuel to raise £13.8bn for the Treasury and issue car manufacturers with a one-off fine for cheating emissions tests which they believe would raise £8bn.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said today the Conservatives had demonstrated a “shamefully weak” response to air quality issues and pollution levels in the UK are a national public health crisis.

Mr Bartley, who co-leads the party with Caroline Lucas, told the Standard: “The Green Party has the environment at the heart of its manifesto and the policies we’re setting out today will ensure the next generation has clean air to breathe.

“This is an entirely preventable crisis and it would be a catastrophic failure if the next Government did not take action to help stop the 40,000 early deaths across the UK every year linked to air pollution.”

Airlines currently pay no tax on the fuel they use or VAT, while road users pay 20 percent VAT on the petrol they buy.

Other environmental policies the party proposed today at their launch in Soho, Central London, include new clean air zones across the UK and free local public transport for young people, students, the disabled and elderly.