The Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport has called on the government and Leeds City Council to help local people find jobs outside of the aviation industry. The request comes shortly after LBA announced further redundancies. GALBA say that national and local government have a real opportunity to tackle the climate emergency and rebuild the local economy at the same time.
Chris Foren, chair of GALBA, said: “It’s obvious that Covid has changed the way people travel and do business. It’s also obvious that we need a green economic recovery from the Covid crisis. So let’s help people who are losing their jobs at the airport move into new, safe and sustainable jobs.”
Chris added: “GALBA has said all along that LBA’s claims about job creation are not credible. Sadly, these redundancies show that we’re right. Now is the time to help people switch into jobs with a future, for the future. We have choices to make and we agree with Leeds Trade Union Council. They oppose LBA expansion and have called for serious investment to retrofit Leeds homes with high quality insulation and install heat pumps. The Council has made a good start on these initiatives - let’s do more.”
Additional notes:
1) Open legal advice: the barrister representing GALBA sent her legal opinion to Councillors on Leeds City Council’s City Plans Panel last week. This advice sets out the legal reasons why LBA expansion would breach planning law and undermine local, regional and national commitments to make radical cuts in greenhouse gas emission. A copy is available here.
2) Leeds TUC: more information about Leeds Trade Union Council’s proposals for investment in retrofitting homes is available here.
3) Climate science: the Leeds Climate Commission and other experts in climate science from Leeds University have calculated that LBA’s proposals mean emissions from the airport would exceed the amount allowed for the whole of Leeds, in the Leeds Carbon Reduction Roadmap, from 2030 onwards.
4) Climate emergency: in March 2019, Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency and gave a commitment to make Leeds ‘net zero’ for carbon emissions by 2030.
5) Decision day: no date has yet been made public for when the City Plans Panel of Leeds City Council will consider LBA’s planning application. The next possible date is 19 November.