FREE lifts to Bristol International Airport will be offered to residents living within two miles of a proposed park and ride scheme in Langford. Elderly villagers will also benefit from transport to shops and GPs' surgeries as a commitment to the local co

FREE lifts to Bristol International Airport will be offered to residents living within two miles of a proposed park and ride scheme in Langford.Elderly villagers will also benefit from transport to shops and GPs' surgeries as a commitment to the local community by developers Bristol Park and Fly which wants to build a 1,200 space car park on land at Monaghan's Mushroom Farm. Managing director Steven Merry unveiled his plans for the Stock Lane site at a meeting last week attended by more than 70 villagers. He says his idea will reduce the area's carbon footprint because it will decrease the number of cars driving to the airport.He said: "Oil troughs will ensure any leaks from cars are handled without any pollution to the environment. "The site is already concrete, so it could be argued this is environmentally a positive re-use of an existing site, rather than ripping up a greenfield site elsewhere to satisfy the consumer demand for parking."However, Campaign for the Protection of the Rural Environment spokesman Georgie Bigg said: "I do not believe that anything which encourages more people to fly from the South West will reduce the carbon footprint, in fact it will do the opposite. "The scheme will also cause noise, light and air pollution while taking tourism away from the South West. Perhaps he has not examined the evidence and needs to look more carefully at the impact of encouraging people to fly from the airport."The proposal will go before North Somerset Council for planning permission.