Lib Dems Oppose Bristol Airport Expansion

Bristol’s Lib Dem city council has formally objected to the £150 million expansion planned for Bristol International Airport.

It says night noise and traffic pollution will get worse - and climate change problems will be exacerbated - if the project goes ahead.

Although the plans will be decided by North Somerset Council, Bristol can express its concerns as a neighbouring authority. Jon Rogers, executive member for transport and sustainability at the city council, says: “The Liberal Democrats have been expressing concerns about the expansion plans for many years. The latest application fails to address many of these concerns.”

The expansion would include a larger terminal, multi-storey car parks, a new runway apron and demolition of the old terminal.

The airport says the expansion is needed to cater for the increase from six million passengers to 10 million a year by 2020. It says the effect on air quality in Bristol will be small and measures have been put forward to reduce and mitigate environmental impacts.