4 February, 2004
Euro-MP Jean Lambert has called for a 'congestion charge for capital's skies ' to force airlines to meet the true costs of cheap flights following the EU 's landmark ruling that Ryanair must pay back its Charleroi subsidies.
Speaking at a European conference on transport pricing, the Green Party MEP said: "So-called cheap flights are not cheap when you take into account their overall costs, so I welcome yesterday's decision by the Commission with regard to Ryanair and Charleroi airport.
"The Ryanair ruling is very welcome, but barely scratches the surface of hidden subsidies and tax-breaks benefiting the aviation industry. We need a level playing field for transport, so public money isn't spent promoting the most polluting modes of transport."
Mrs Lambert, who is a member of the European Parliament's Petition's Committee, said a high volume of the complaints it received from across the EU regarded the environmental, social and economic costs of transport infrastructure development.
She added: "Air and road travel are in urgent need of pricing reform to reflect their true costs - the EU should examine London's congestion charge, which has reduced traffic by 60,000 car movements daily in the charging zone, as an example of how to use economic measures to encourage sustainable transport choices."
ENDS
Note
to editors
Jean Lambert's comments were made at the IMPRINT - 'Implementing
P ricing Reform in Transport', which takes place in Brussels today and tomorrow.
Copies of her speech are available on request.
For more information please
contact Ben Duncan on 020 7407 6280, 07973
823358 or at press@greenmeps.org.uk