Human NO protest against flights

Greenpeace says that fuel subsidies should be switched to trains

Glastonbury revellers staged a protest over air travel expansion during the three-day festival at the weekend.

They formed a human NO to demonstrate against airport expansions including Air South West's services from London to Plymouth and Newquay.

Organiser Greenpeace said air traffic contributes to climate change and fuel subsidies should be given to railways.

Air South West said its turboprop aircraft were more fuel efficient than other jets.

Robin Oakley, head of climate change campaigns for Greenpeace, said at the festival that fuel subsidies should be taken from the airlines and given to railways.

"With better investment in our railways, Plymouth and Newquay could be easily reached through a more sustainable form of transport.

It's about how to meet people's travel needs in a more sustainable way Robin Oakley, Greenpeace

"No-one is going to replace flights to Brazil. It's not about stopping all flying.

"It's about how to meet people's travel needs in a more sustainable way and expanding airports, particularly for destinations nearby is not going to work for climate change," he said.

"If railways were made cheaper and more pleasurable to use they would be more full," he added.

Mike Coombes from Air South West, one of the main carriers into Newquay and Plymouth, said increased fuel efficiency of modern aircraft were making air travel more environmentally friendly.

But he said the affects on the environment had to be balanced with the needs of businesses.

He said: "Flying to City Airport is cheaper and quicker than the train.

"The key thing is that people can have a full business day in London and be back in the early evening."

He added that holidaymakers were flying to the region from other areas of the UK which was "good news for the regional economy".