Just 20 miles from Epsom weekend flights at Farnborough Airport could more than double if expansion plans go ahead.

The airport’s owners are seeking to increase the annual number of flights from 50,000 to 70,000 a year – including a jump in weekend traffic from 8,900 to 18,900. They also hope to have aeroplanes taking off and landing from 7am to 9pm on weekends and public holidays, an hour earlier – and later – than currently permitted.

They say the increase in flights is needed to meet shifting needs of business travellers, opponents say the airport is trying to cash in on leisure and holiday travel. Airport bosses say the move will create thousands of new jobs in the area and are urging people to have their say on the proposals at a series of consultation events.

John Eriksson, chairperson of the Farnborough Noise action group said the people in the area already have no respite from the jet engines. He said his main concerns over the expansion were that it was yet another consultation before a review into the impact of airspace changes had concluded.

The claimed economic benefits, he said, were still being assessed by Rushmoor Borough Council’s oversight and scrutiny committee, and that the Government’s own climate change committee stated there should be no increase in aviation until the industry was able to reduce emissions.

He said that on average, planes from Farnborough carried 2.5 passengers per flight, with many not carrying any. Mr Eriksson said: “We’re going to have a continuous drone of aircraft noise. They already fly at a lower altitude to get under Heathrow and Gatwick airspace.”

Richard Nobbs, another Farnborough Noise member, said the growth of the airport had been “highly detrimental for the area”. He added: “We are going to end up with an increase in pollution, an increase in noise. Farnborough Airport will say this is needed because it will make a big contribution to the local area, but I don’t see that. Most of the flights are to holiday destinations.”

The airport, one of the  largest employment sites in the area, has said it would publish detailed information about its proposals from September 20. They claim the changes would enable it to be a “catalyst for long-term economic prosperity in the region” and support 4,100  jobs by 2040.

Opponents say it serves mostly private clients with jets averaging 2.5 passengers per trip. Campaigners said this makes it difficult to justify the airport expansion’s economic argument.

The airport argues it contributes £200m to the local economy each year, which in turn supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the process.

Simon Geere, Farnborough Airport chief executive, said: “By satisfying the growing demand for connectivity from Farnborough Airport, our proposals will create hundreds of new jobs within the local community and give a boost to the unique aerospace cluster that we are part of. This will be vitally important for the future economic prosperity of the region. At the same time, Farnborough Airport is leading the way on airport sustainability. 

“We recently achieved Level 4+ Carbon Neutrality which is the highest possible accolade, and last year we set ourselves one of the most ambitious targets in the industry, by committing to be Net Zero across our controllable emissions by 2030 or sooner. We are looking forward to sharing our proposals for the future of the Airport with the local community and receiving feedback on how we can continue to contribute to the ongoing economic prosperity of the communities we serve.

Further details are available at FarnboroughAirport2040.com.

The consultation will close on October 18 2023.

Following the consultation, the airport intends to submit its planning application in November 2023 after which a 16-week statutory consultation will follow.

It expects the first planning decision to be made in March 2024.

Image: MilborneOne CC BY-SA 3.0

Diesel van owners who drive along the Guildford stretch of the A3 more than three times a week, could be eligible for a grant to replace their vehicle with an electric model.

Surrey County Council is working in partnership with Guildford Borough Council to deliver a £11 million National Highways scheme, aimed at reducing high levels of pollution in the area. Applications can be made here from today (Thursday 07 September) as ‘International Day of Clean air for blue skies’ gets underway.

Vehicle dealerships that sell and lease qualifying electric light commercial vehicles are also being encouraged to apply to participate in the scheme. Applications can be made at www.surreycc.gov.uk/a3evgrantdealer. A free event is being held for interested dealerships in Guildford on Tuesday 12 September 2023. Tickets can be booked here.

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth said, “Reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality is a major priority for Surrey County Council as we strive to achieve our target to be a net-zero county by 2050. Pollution levels on this stretch of the A3 are unacceptable and we want to do all we can to improve this situation and protect the health and wellbeing of local residents.

“I’m delighted that we are able to offer van owners a financial incentive to replace their diesel vans with electric alternatives and to support small businesses in the switch to lower emissions. We’ll also be increasing the provision of charge points near the A3 as we are across the county.

“I encourage franchised dealers who supply light commercial electric vehicles to support this scheme and apply to be an accredited dealership. This is an important first step in our joint work to improve air quality along the A3 and we hope to announce further joint interventions in the near future.”

Andrew Bean, Principal Air Quality Advisor at National Highways said, “We are delighted to be working with Surrey and Guildford Councils on this scheme. Not only are we working together to improve air quality around the A3, we are reducing carbon emissions and helping businesses that regularly travel up and down the A3 at the same time.

“We strongly encourage all interested dealers to sign up and help deliver electric vans for local businesses and regular users of the A3”.

Cllr Merel Rehorst-Smith, Lead Councillor for Regulatory and Democratic Services at Guildford Borough Council said, “This scheme is one of the new measures we’re supporting to help improve air quality along the A3, benefitting Guildford and the surrounding villages. Our officers have worked hard to get this scheme of the ground and obtain the funding for it. We hope that local dealers and businesses will want to get involved.”

“Offering diesel van owners financial help to switch to an electric vehicle will be a real incentive for them to use a greener form of transport.”

More information is available at www.surreycc.gov.uk/a3evgrantdealer

^{Image: Will Mellor – actor from White Van Man series. CC BBC}

The expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the Surrey border affects attractions like Hampton Court Palace, some of which is on the charge boundary.

ULEZ, introduced by Transport for London to improve air quality in the capital, sees drivers of non-compliant cars charged to enter the area it covers.

Hampton Court Palace, located alongside the Thames and just over Hampton Court Bridge from Surrey is largely inside the new London ULEZ however some routes from its car park avoid charges.

The A308 towards Staines and the M3 forms the border of the ULEZ, meaning cars travelling along it are not passing into the zone.

Therefore non-compliant cars will not need to pay the daily charge of £12.50, and those driving to Hampton Court Palace will not be in the zone on entering the landmark’s car park.

However the exit from the palace’s car park is on the other side of the roundabout, where Hampton Court Road continues towards Kingston, and is just inside the charging zone.

According to a camera map on ulez.co.uk, the first camera on the A308 is further up the road, on the corner with Campbell Road.

This means drivers coming out of the car park and turning left to go back towards the roundabout, as they would need to, may not be caught entering the zone.

In response to a query on Twitter about driving to and from the palace in the newly-extended zone, Historic Royal Palaces said: “Hampton Court Palace and its car park are within ULEZ, however if you are driving from outside of London into our car park and back out again you will not be seen by the enforcement camera and will not be charged – provided you don’t re-enter the zone.”

A link was included to the TfL site to check whether or not a car meets the emissions standards, and would therefore need to pay the charge.

What would Henry VIII have made of a tax like the ULEZ charge?

in addition to non-Parliamentary “benevolences” he exacted from the wealthy he did impose a tax on all beards, except his own. So maybe the vagaries of ULEZ would have been to His liking.

A Historic Royal Palaces spokesperson said: “Our priority is to continue to provide clear information for visitors, to inform the decisions they make about travel to and from Hampton Court Palace. We will continue to work with TFL to ensure that we provide the most up to date information on this.”

The ULEZ  is in force 24 hours a day, midnight to midnight, every day of the year, except for Christmas Day.

According to TfL, nine out of ten cars seen driving in outer London already meet the ULEZ emissions standards.

Since its introduction, TfL said the ULEZ had already helped to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half in central London and by a fifth in inner London.

Several Surrey councils objected to the expansion of the zone, calling for a scrappage scheme to be extended to Surrey residents and for more exemptions.

Related reports:

Signs of Surrey resistance to ULEZ continue

London Mayor confirms drive of ULEZ to Epsom border. ULEZ explainer.

High Court gives ULEZ the green light to Epsom’s borders

ULEZ court challenge begins

ULEZ driving old cars to Epsom market

Challenge to ULEZ gaining grounds

Many Surrey motorists will be paying the ULEZ charge.

ULEZ Court battle looming

Image: Luke Nicolaides CC BY-SA 2.0

From 1^st September, Surrey County Council lifted charges on resident DIY waste in line with Government policy changes that were proposed in June.

The County Council, like most neighbouring authorities currently charge for all rubble and plasterboard to be disposed of at community recycling centres (CRCs). From 1^st September up to two 50-litre rubble bags or one large item no larger than 2m x 0.75m x 0.7m per household will be accepted for free, at a maximum frequency of four visits over four weeks. Anything in excess of this will be chargeable at current rates.

DIY waste can be accepted at nine of the 15 community recycling centres and access to the rubble and plasterboard containers will continue to be controlled and monitored. A new monitoring system will be introduced using the automatic number plate recognition system to monitor usage.

Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property and Waste said: “Whilst we are still unclear on when the Government proposes to implement this law, we have made these changes already. It’s about making the system as simple as possible for our residents, while protecting our sites from commercial operators taking advantage of a tax-payer funded service.”

CRCs are for Surrey residents only to dispose of household waste and recycling, including:

• Batteries
• Carpet
• Cooking oil
• Furniture
• Small electrical items
• Paper and card
• Metal

A full list of Surrey’s community recycling centres is available on the Surrey County Council website, along with details of what is accepted at each site.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the London Borough Kingston and Sutton borders of Epsom and Ewell, went live on 29 August.

This will have an impact on Surrey residents, especially those living near the border of London, who have a non-ULEZ-compliant vehicle.

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth at Surrey County Council said: “I am incredibly disappointed that expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone has gone ahead today and the impact this will have on many of our residents as they go about everyday, essential journeys. 

“Surrey County Council has informed TfL that we will not enter into a Section 8 agreement which is needed for them to place signage and cameras on our highway, whilst there isn’t any mitigation in place to minimise the impact on Surrey residents. If they wish to install advanced signage or have safety concerns, it’s in their gift to install it on their land and to change the ULEZ border.

“Whilst the extended scrappage scheme looks to be a step in the right direction, this will have no impact on those outside of London. This means that people living in Surrey will not only have to pay the ULEZ charge, but also pay all costs to scrap their own car as the scrappage scheme only applies to people living inside London.  Combined with the recent decision to withdraw the day travelcard, it is now increasingly difficult for those outside of London to travel in and out at a fair price.  

“We continue to urge The Mayor and TfL to do what is right and extend the scrappage scheme outside of London for those that are impacted, provide exemption for key workers, and provide more and better bus routes between Surrey and London.”

The Mayor of London’s office stated:

“Expanding ULEZ was a difficult but necessary decision in order to save lives, protect the health of children and tackle the climate crisis. Clean air zones like the ULEZ are the most effective tool available to quickly and meaningfully cut air pollution in a city like London and vows to continue being ‘a doer, not a delayer’ when it comes to taking bold climate action. All Londoners with non-compliant vehicles can now apply for financial support to scrap them – with more than 15,000 applications received in the last week alone.

Nearly £60 million has already been committed in advance of the ULEZ expansion to Londoners, charities and businesses to scrap or retrofit their vehicles. With £100 million still left in the fund, the Mayor encourages Londoners who may still have a non-compliant vehicle to apply for the support available.”

Related Reports:

London Mayor confirms drive of ULEZ to Epsom border. ULEZ explainer.

High Court gives ULEZ the green light to Epsom’s borders

ULEZ court challenge begins

ULEZ driving old cars to Epsom market

Challenge to ULEZ gaining grounds

Many Surrey motorists will be paying the ULEZ charge.

ULEZ Court battle looming

Airport expansion benefits a “small and wealthy subset of the British population” leaving the rest to deal with its environmental impact, according to a new report.

The paper, Losing Altitude the economics of air transport in Great Britain, was published just weeks before plans to double capacity at Gatwick were made public for the first time.

It argues that the “significant” environmental downsides that come with the growth in flight numbers is not matched by its economic benefit – and that data arguing otherwise is out-dated.

However, while it says overall tourism in the UK is harmed by increased aviation, Surrey and the south east benefit.

Gatwick Airport says a second runway would bring an extra £1billion to the south east and that its “detailed economic analysis is robust and is based on UK-specific data”.

It has submitted proposals to the Planning Inspector to add a permanent second runway to allow an extra 100,000 flights a year. A six-month enquiry is set to start later this year to determine the matter.

The report, by New Economics Foundation, read: “The Government continues to provide conditional support to air capacity growth on the, often tacit, basis that the economic upsides outweigh the negative impacts and future risks. “But, the economic assumptions that underpin this position favouring growth are dated and have not been reviewed for some years.

“Given the urgent and sizeable nature of the climate risk, it is imperative that the evidence, and relative balance, of the economic and environmental impacts of air transport growth are kept up to date and under constant review.”

The last comprehensive Government review of the economic impacts of air travel was in 2012 and the industry has “changed dramatically” since then, the report argues.

Growth in business travellers has effectively ceased and new passengers are “exclusively from the leisure market” – in particular, “growth has been driven by wealthy British residents rather than foreign tourists or those on lower incomes”. The pandemic, it says, accelerated the trend.

Welfare, jobs and wages, tourism.

It said the social benefits that access to international travel brings to UK residents can be vast but is “typically captured by a small and wealthy subset of the British population while, each year, around half of British residents do not fly at all. Furthermore, the welfare benefit must now be offset against welfare losses resulting from greater environmental damage; these are substantial”.

On job creation, it said that aviation “supports a large number of British jobs, but the amount of employment created by growth has been diminishing over time” and has now become “one of the poorest job creators in the economy per pound of revenue” – due to automation and efficiency savings.

It also found productivity growth failed to translate into increased wages; after inflation.

On tourism it said there are now two decades of evidence showing air transport does not help the UK domestic tourism industry with cash instead flowing overseas.

The exception to this is in Surrey, London and the wider south east, where the majority of foreign tourists visit.

Dr Alex Chapman, senior researcher at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), said: “For years, this government has let the air travel industry balloon in size, based on dangerously outdated claims that it is boosting the UK’s economy. The reality is declining business air travel, declining wages for air travel workers, declining job numbers, and declining domestic tourism spending in the UK.

“And that’s before you consider the rise in noise, air pollution and dangerous emissions driven by UK airports. So who exactly is benefiting from ever more air travel? You needn’t look much further than the highly paid executives, the private shareholders, and the wealthy minority of ultra-frequent flyers.”

Cait Hewitt, policy director at the Aviation Environment Federation, said: “The question of whether or not airports should expand is often assumed to be about balancing environmental harms against economic benefits. This new analysis suggests we should think again; while flying definitely causes harm in terms of noise and emissions, it’s uncertain if it actually brings any economic benefits.

“Obviously people benefit from going on holiday, but policies that support British tourism and leisure – rather than increasing travel abroad – would be good for the UK economy as well as the climate.”

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are aware of the… report and its claims, however our detailed economic analysis is robust and is based on UK-specific data. Our analysis shows that the Northern Runway plans would deliver 14,000 new UK-based jobs and inject £1 billion into the economy of the south east every year.

“Our plans would also benefit many communities across the south east by providing new economic and business opportunities as well as benefits for tourism and international trade.
“We recognise the climate emergency and the need for the whole aviation industry to act to reach net zero by 2050.

“To that end, we accelerated our plans to achieve net zero for airport emissions, Scope 1 and 2, by 2030 and will invest over £250 million so that we achieve this 10 years ahead of our previous target. The government is also committed to work with airlines to ensure they meet a trajectory of reducing carbon emissions to get to net zero, 2050, through measures including airspace modernisation; sustainable aviation fuel, electric, hydrogen and hybrid aircraft and setting carbon budgets for airlines.”

Related Reports:

Gatwick expansion plans revealed

Gatwick to get 2nd runway?

Chance for Epsom and Ewell’s say on Heathrow flights

The first details of Gatwick’s multi-billion pound expansion plans – to double capacity and create a second Heathrow Airport in the south east – have emerged.

Gatwick originally submitted its bid to create a fully functioning two-runway airport to the planning inspector in July, as it pushes to increase annual capacity to 78 million passengers.

The plans have now been released to the public ahead of an expected six-month hearing due to begin at the end of the year.

The airport’s current annual capacity is 32.8million passengers. It wants to double that by building space for an extra 100,000 flights a year.

The project “would also include the development of supporting infrastructure and facilities to enable increased capacity at Gatwick airport to service 75 million passengers per year by 2038”.

The plans include:

Repositioning northern runway so both can be used together
Reconfigured taxiways
A new pier
Extensions to the north and south terminals
New hotel and office space
New car parks
Highways improvements

Opponents, including 10 neighbouring councils, and the Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), said they were “disappointed” the application is moving forward as they had raised “significant concerns about Gatwick’s approach towards engagement and consultation”.

A spokesperson for CAGNE said: “Time and time again, airports that seek expansion and growth during the climate emergency use the same straplines to convince the government that it will be good for the country and that everything else can be mitigated. “Gatwick seems to have done the same.”

They added: “The planet cannot afford this expansion. We are horrified that a government Planning Inspector would agree to a second runway when it impacts the wellbeing and house value of so many residents, as well as the planet.”

The group said it was preparing a “strong legal team” to put forward a case against expansion. “The broken record keeps spinning as far as Gatwick’s management are concerned. The Development Consent Order is a cheap way to significantly increase capacity, without having to pay for the infrastructure needed to support such vast growth”, the spokesperson said.

Final sign off will be decided by the  Secretary of State .

Tandridge District Council is a member of a consortium of 10 local councils in Surrey, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex, which have come together to ensure their interests are represented.

A joint statement read: “We are disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate has this week decided to “accept” Gatwick Airport Limited’s development consent order application for dual runway operations through the routine use of the existing northern runway for its detailed consideration and examination.

“We had raised significant concerns about Gatwick’s approach towards engagement and consultation with us and the wider local community and felt that further, more meaningful consultation should have taken place before the application was submitted.

“Now the application has been accepted, we will engage with the Planning Inspectorate with the many outstanding issues that are unresolved and without agreement across a wide range of issues. We believe this challenging situation will require significant resources from the local authorities to present its case on the many and varied environmental and economic impacts arising from the development and the associated growth of the airport.

“It is hoped that engagement and provision of information by( Gatwick) will improve as we approach examination to give confidence to all parties about the impacts of the proposals and enable the Secretary of State to make a robust decision.”

London Gatwick’s chief planning officer Tim Norwood, said: “In coming weeks, the airport will let residents and other stakeholders know how they can register their interest in taking part in the examination stage of the planning process, so they can submit comments and feedback on our important proposals.”

London Gatwick’s DCO application is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

Those interested in finding out about CAGNE’ fundraising can visit www.cagne.org.

Crawley Borough Council, East Sussex County Council, Horsham District Council, Kent County Council, Mid Sussex District Council, Mole Valley District Council, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Tandridge District Council, West Sussex County Council form the coalition of councils.

Related reports:

Gatwick to get 2nd runway?

In Surrey, almost half of our emissions come from transport, and about half of that is from private vehicles. So, reducing the emissions from the way we travel about, whether that’s by walking or cycling more, using public transport or switching to an electric car, can help to drastically reduce our carbon footprint.

Electric vehicles (EVs) produce no exhaust emissions, so are much cleaner than petrol or diesel cars. Approximately 40% of households in Surrey do not have access to a driveway at home, so innovative solutions are needed to encourage more people to switch to EVs.

Launch of domestic kerbside charging trials

On Thursday 15 June, Clean Air Day, we launched a trial of two domestic kerbside electric vehicle charging solutions for Surrey residents who do not have access to off-street parking. The trial, one of the first in the UK, will allow residents to choose from two options, either cable gullies or a Trojan AON charger. Both connect to the residents’ domestic energy supply, to allow home charging for EVs without the need for a driveway.

Both options are being introduced as part of a trial, with limited numbers of each available. We will use the trial to assess effectiveness and popularity, combined with feedback from residents who participate.

The two products being trialled are cable gullies and Trojan AON chargers. Cable gullies are channels installed in the pavement that can be used to safely trail an EV charging cable, whereas Trojan AON chargers are installed on the pavement near the kerb with a cable laid underneath the pavement connecting it directly to a property’s own electrical supply.

How can I take part?

Site selection for the cable gullies will take place in two stages. An initial survey will need to be completed to register interest and share location details. If the site is suitable, the electric vehicle team at Surrey County Council will contact applicants for a more detailed assessment. Site selection for the AON chargers will be determined by Trojan Energy. To read more information and apply, please visit the Electric vehicles and on street charge points web page.

What if I can’t take part in either trial?

These pilots are part of a suite of EV charging solutions that we are working on deploying across Surrey. We have recently appointed Connected Kerb to install thousands of public EV chargepoints over the next five years across the county that may provide a suitable alternative to you in the meantime. Read the press release about our contract with Connected Kerb to find out more about on-street chargepoint installations.

For more information visit the electric vehicles and on street chargepoint roll out web page.

Related Reports:

Let’s go Electric Epsom and Ewell

Council driving forward with electric chargers

Kerbing car pollution trial in Surrey

26,000 tonnes of recyclable waste can be found in Surrey’s rubbish

Research shows that many people feel like they are already recycling as much as they can. But according to data, over 26,000 tonnes of recyclable waste can be found in Surrey’s rubbish bins.

Categorised by material, that would look something like this…

• 9,096 tonnes of paper and card, equating to the weight of roughly 5,000 cars.
• 8,353 tonnes of plastic, equal to the weight of almost 1,500 elephants.
• 6,619 tonnes of glass, that’s approximately the weight of 9,500 cows.
• 2,268 tonnes of metal, equivalent to around the weight of 4,500 polar bears.

Why is this a big deal?

By recycling more you can help fight climate change as recycling generates less carbon dioxide than rubbish disposal. When the extra carbon dioxide from rubbish disposal enters the air it increases the greenhouse effect, raising the planet’s temperature to be warmer than it should be naturally.

If just over 26,000 tonnes of rubbish was recycled instead of going to disposal, we could save the equivalent of 42,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the environment.

It costs less money to recycle than it does send rubbish for disposal, so recycling is good for the environment and for our pockets.

Win, win, with your recycling bin

This summer, please help the planet by recycling more. This includes:

• Letters, envelopes, paper, card, leaflets, catalogs, glossy brochures and magazines, junk mail, newspapers and cardboard.
• Food packaging such as plastic pots, tubs and trays.
• Plastic bottles used for shampoo, detergent, and cleaning products.
• Glass bottles and jars.
• Metal food tins for things like tuna, soup, fruit and pet food.

If you are unsure if a product you have can be recycled or not check the Surrey Recycles Search Tool for more information.

These small changes will make a big impact, not only to the planet but to local councils who can use the money saved for essential services for Surrey’s communities instead.

Find out more at the Surrey Environment Partnership web page.

Rethinking your waste and changing your habits can earn you prizes

Would you like to win prizes when you rethink your waste? Rethink Waste is up and running and rewards you when you help the planet by reducing your waste. You can collect points by completing weekly activities such as quizzes, making a pledge, or watching a short video. Points can be transferred into prizes!

The scheme launched last month and so far, residents have been focusing their efforts on getting as much material out of the rubbish bin as they can. Over the coming months, the scheme will focus on reducing waste when cleaning the house and cooking. After that, if you’ve signed up, you will learn about some of the tools that can be used to make sure we’re respecting the all-important waste hierarchy!

You can use your points in several ways. You can use them to donate money to charity or enter prize draws.

Rethink Waste is available for free and is exclusive to Surrey residents. It is being delivered by Surrey Environment Partnership, which is a partnership of all the councils in Surrey set up to deliver projects to reduce waste and increase recycling across the county.

If you’re not signed up already and want to earn points, sign up today on the Green Redeem website.

Related reports:

Recycling for food

Council elastic on plastic?

Reaching recyclables others cannot reach …..

Schools across the county are having their outdated end-of-life gas boilers replaced with new solar heating systems to help combat “skyrocketing” energy prices.

The £6million project is split between time-sensitive Government cash coupled with Surrey County Council’s “greener futures” fund which it says will be “effectively repaid’ via £1.6m in overall savings from cheaper fuel bills – or through reduced energy tariffs to schools.

The work will be carried out over the summer and is scheduled to be completed before the start of the new school year. This is not only to minimise disruption but also because the Government contracts are time-bound, meaning if it is not used, the cash is lost.

Surrey County Council’s greener futures strategy says evidence that climate change is real is beyond doubt and its effects are already being felt.

It says an increase in man-made greenhouse gases will impact on the “health, wellbeing and finances of Surrey’s residents, businesses, landscapes and biodiversity for many years to come” and as such, the county intends “to play its part by reducing its dependency on fossil fuels”.

The Tuesday, July 25, environment meeting heard from lead councillor Marisa Heath who said one of the chosen schools told her they were “absolutely thrilled because they’ve got skyrocketing energy prices and can’t even get the temperature right”. She said: “They’re really excited that we’re working with them on this. It’s a great program proposal. We need to move it on as we’ve been successful in getting government money.”

The first set of schools to benefit from the new heating panels are: Beauclerc Infant School, in Sunbury, Kingswood Primary School, in Lower Kingswood, St Peters Centre, in Englefield Green, Worplesdon Primary School, in Worplesdon, and Park Mead Primary School, in Cranleigh.

_{Image – example of school with solar panels cc ZSM}