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Extinction Rebellion Bristol Airport expansion protest

Extinction Rebellion cycle protest halts traffic around Bristol Airport

Group was protesting against planned expansion of capacity to 12 million passengers a year

Sun, Sep 15, 2019 15:23

Dozens of protesters on bikes from the Extinction Rebellion group yesterday brought roads around Bristol Airport to a standstill in protest at plans to expand its capacity to 12 million passengers a year by the mid-2020s.

BBC News reports that on Saturday lunchtime, traffic queues of between two and three miles in length had built up in both directions on the A38 as around 70 protesters cycled around a roundabout near the entrance.

Organiser Oz Osbourne said he had not flown for two decades and encouraged others to make a flight-free pledge.

"If you join the flight-free pledge then it changes the way you think about who you are,” he said, adding that doing so would enable people to “have a greener lifestyle.”

The airport, which said that flights “were operating as normal” but encouraged passengers to allow longer to travel there, insists that its plans for expansion will mean that people will make fewer car journeys to London airports.

North Somerset Council is expected to make a planning decision on the proposed expansion by the end of the year.

Last week, Extinction Rebellion joined Stop Killing Cyclists in organising the National Funeral for the Unknown Cyclist which saw hundreds of cyclists ride in procession through Central London behind three horse-drawn hearses and hold a die-in at Trafalgar Square.

> Hundreds join Stop Killing Cyclists protest in London

Extinction Rebellion

Bristol

Bristol Airport

Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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8 comments

Liam Cahill | 5 years ago

1 like

Wow. Ozzy Osbourne has changed

hawkinspeter replied to Liam Cahill | 5 years ago

1 like

Liam Cahill wrote:

Wow. Ozzy Osbourne has changed

SHARON!!!

Sharon!.jpeg

gazzaputt | 5 years ago

0 likes

I like flying taking my bike with me.

burtthebike | 5 years ago

12 likes

Extinction Rebellion are doing a fantastic job of raising the profile of our profligate lifestyles, and in this case, using bicycles to do it. Their message resonates with most cyclists, who may have chosen to ride a bike for other reasons, but we can all feel smug because we are so far ahead of our cousins in cars, who are going to have a very rude awakening soon. We're the ones saving the planet, they're the ones destroying it, and yes, even electric cars.

This could be the best way of finally getting cycling infrastructure.

hawkinspeter replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago

6 likes

burtthebike wrote:

Extinction Rebellion are doing a fantastic job of raising the profile of our profligate lifestyles, and in this case, using bicycles to do it. Their message resonates with most cyclists, who may have chosen to ride a bike for other reasons, but we can all feel smug because we are so far ahead of our cousins in cars, who are going to have a very rude awakening soon. We're the ones saving the planet, they're the ones destroying it, and yes, even electric cars.

This could be the best way of finally getting cycling infrastructure.

Unfortunately, I can't feel smug about riding my bike around as I flew back from Copenhagen to Bristol on Friday (thankfully missing out on the road chaos) and air travel increases my carbon footprint far more than if I drove a car.

The difference in air quality between Copenhagen and Bristol is quite striking and as soon as we hopped on the Flyer bus we could see the usual queues of vehicles on the A38. We didn't see any significant traffic queues on holiday which shows how much difference cycling infrastructure can make when lots of people recognise cycling as a legitimate way of commuting.

burtthebike replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago

0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Extinction Rebellion are doing a fantastic job of raising the profile of our profligate lifestyles, and in this case, using bicycles to do it. Their message resonates with most cyclists, who may have chosen to ride a bike for other reasons, but we can all feel smug because we are so far ahead of our cousins in cars, who are going to have a very rude awakening soon. We're the ones saving the planet, they're the ones destroying it, and yes, even electric cars.

This could be the best way of finally getting cycling infrastructure.

Unfortunately, I can't feel smug about riding my bike around as I flew back from Copenhagen to Bristol on Friday (thankfully missing out on the road chaos) and air travel increases my carbon footprint far more than if I drove a car.

You're still doing a hell of a lot better than those who also took the flight and drive everywhere.

mike the bike | 5 years ago

1 like

...... Organiser Oz Osborne said he had not flown for two decades ......

Those queues at Gatwick can be a real bugger.

brooksby replied to mike the bike | 5 years ago

3 likes

mike the bike wrote:

...... Organiser Oz Osborne said he had not flown for two decades ......

Those queues at Gatwick can be a real bugger.

Not flown for twenty years? Lightweight!

I haven't flown since 1981! #smug

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