A pledge where people sign up to take direct action if the Goverment goes ahead with plans to expand the UK's airports has so far proved a resounding success, with more than 1300 people across the UK signing up in just over a month.

Leading transport and environmental organisations called on people to sign the pledge in response to the Government`s Aviation White Paper launched last December. It tells the Government that those who sign it are ready to take personal action to oppose runway development through taking part in demonstrations, writing letters, carrying out direct action or taking political action.

The White Paper forecast a near-trebling of passengers using UK airports over the next 30 years. It predicted there could be runways built at Stansted, Heathrow or Gatwick, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as significant expansion at most of the UK`s other airports.

The anti-airport expansion pledge was backed by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, People and the Planet, Rising Tide and Transport 2000, together with local protest groups HACAN ClearSkies and Swansea-based Airport No Expansion. They were joined at the end of October by the Green Party, so far the only political party opposing the expansion of the aviation sector. The environmental groups are challenging the Prime Minister to back up his recent speech on climate change with tough action to cut global emissions. Aviation is the fastest-growing contributor to global warming.

George Marshall of Rising Tide, who is administering the pledge, said: "We expect a huge number of people will sign the pledge. There is widespread anger at the Government`s aggressive plans to expand airports. It is inconceivable that people will sit back and let this happen. If the Government does not listen, I think protest, including direct action, is inevitable."

Tony Juniper, Director of Friends of the Earth, said: "The Government`s go-for-growth plans for aviation must be stopped. They completely contradict Tony Blair`s pledge to fight climate change and will cause immense damage to our countryside, our communities and our natural habitats."