Le petit tour (Part 1)
Heathrow airport has just finished consulting on its plans to introduce an extra 25,000 flights a year. Thats a staggering 500,000 flights a year before work has even commenced on it’s planned third runway. Richmond Council along with four others are pursuing legal action against the overwhelming noise and pollution which will inevitably impact the lives and well-being of many local residence. Local traffic infrastructure will also be hit hard leading to increased congestion, greater emissions and an inevitable spike in air pollution.
The Mayor of London and many others have urged Heathrow Airport to reconsider their plans for expansion. Plans which will by consequence undermine the capitals urgent priority of cleaning up its appalling air quality and reducing its lethal and currently illegal levels of emissions.
Initiatives such as improved cycling infrastructure, healthy streets and active travel are being promoted by a range of groups in an effort to counter Londons increasingly fatal levels of air pollution. But, despite the intervention of Councillors and Mayors, despite the high profile ministerial resignations and in spite of the heartfelt objections of many local residents and action groups, it seems likely that Heathrow’s catastrophic expansion will go ahead.
Such news can begin to make the campaign for healthier streets and cleaner air begin to feel like a rather pointless uphill struggle. But, we are cyclist and uphill is what we do with relish!
My daughter already encounters noise and toxic pollution on a daily basis and as a Dad I want to provide her with opportunities to protest wrongs with positive actions. We cycle to school everyday and I continue to commute by bike. We spend our weekends as a family exploring the local area on two wheels and cycling has become our way of socialising, exercising and engaging with politics in our local and wider community.
We discuss air pollution and accountability. We talk about how we can mitigate against the estimated 36,000 premature deaths attributed to illegal levels of air pollution in the Uk each year. We talk about reevaluating systems that are beginning to fail and how to harness the power that we all have to take direct action and practice change.
So when it comes to the question of family holidays we have decided to re-examine our traditional means of escape in an effort to “put our money where our mouth is“. Historically we’ve relied upon either the car, air travel or both to get our leisure fix. We have of course always opted for organic or fair-trade “glamping” when we get there but its now time to look at the “how we get there”. One thing’s for certain. I can’t object to Heathrow’s plans for expansion whilst continuing to use it. And whilst we’re on that track, it’s nonsensical to rage against unnecessary car journeys only to hop behind the wheel when I fancy a break from all my lycra clad virtue signalling..
So, this Easter we are going to pack our panniers and attempt to cycle to France. We will take the train from Twickenham to Brighton and then cycle the white cliffs to Newhaven before boarding the ferry to Dieppe. Brexit is looming and like the rest of the country I have absolutely no idea how this is going to go.
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