New Gridserve Electric Forecourt is a Gatwick Airport ‘gimmick', says CAGNE. What about aircraft emissions?

“New Gridserve Electric Forecourt is a Gatwick Airport ‘gimmick’ to pull the wool over the consumer’s eyes”, says CAGNE, the umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. “Any steps to reduce carbon should be greeted with hope. But you must question their motives, when the consumer is not given the full story”, says CAGNE.

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Gatwick Airport ignores the PM2.5 particles from the airfield, the emissions, the carbon, and the greenhouses gases produced by every plane that arrives at and departs from the airport. No number of electric cars will counter this, as Gatwick aims to be as large as Heathrow with 80m passengers from a 2-runway operation.

With the proposed 2nd runway, Gatwick would add 1-1.5m tonnes of extra carbon a year plus the equivalent (or more) in greenhouse gases, in the form of vapours. This is on top of the carbon and greenhouse gases from the growth Gatwick also seeks from the main runway.

Electric cars produce more tyre particles as they are heavier on the roads, potentially deteriorating the road surfaces more quickly than other fuelled vehicles. These PM2.5 particles produced by tyres enter the air and cause serious health issues.

A few cars won't remove the emissions from flying

Electric cars do not reduce congestion on residential roads, as Gatwick only has one main road (the M23) that is closed every time there is an incident and is deemed unsafe.

Gatwick is attracting cars to the airport area to charge quickly, not just those of flyers, adding to the emissions and congestion on the residential roads.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said electric car sales to private buyers have fallen by 14%. And electric cars are not cheap – so not feasible for most leisure flyers.

“This is all before you ask questions about the production and disposal of electric car batteries, which isn’t always carbon neutral,” says CAGNE.