Boris Johnson Takes 50-Minute Chopper Flight To Promote New Bicycle Program (About 2 Hrs By Train)
Boris Johnson has been criticised for taking a short helicopter flight from London to the West Midlands to promote a local bike hire scheme, despite the train from London taking just more than two hours. Critics said the flight was “completely unnecessary” and cast doubt on the sincerity of the prime minister’s pledges to fight the climate crisis. Air travel produces far more global-heating emissions than other modes of transport.
Johnson took the 50-minute helicopter ride in a Sikorsky S-76C on 5 May, departing from north-west London and landing at Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green airport. Johnson then travelled to Stourbridge to meet Andy Street, who was subsequently re-elected as West Midlands metro mayor. “Great to show the PM around Stourbridge by bike,” Street tweeted. Johnson and Street used bicycles from the West Midlands Cycle Hire scheme, which is described as “a fun, healthy and sustainable way to travel”.
The helicopter Johnson flew in is registered to the digger manufacturer JCB, whose chairman is the billionaire Tory peer and frequent donor to the Conservative party Lord Bamford. It has also been reported that Johnson appeared to use a private jet registered to JCB for flights to Wales and Northumberland during the recent local election campaign.
The prime minister also used a helicopter to travel to Wolverhampton on 19 April, landing at a local golf club. During the visit, he took the controls of a tram, another low-carbon travel option, at the West Midlands Metro depot in Wednesbury.
EDIT
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/13/boris-johnson-took-unnecessary-helicopter-trip-promote-bike-scheme-cast-doubt-pledge-fight-climate-crisis