The expected growth in air travel to 300 million passengers a year by 2015 is simply unsustainable according to the Professor of Transport Studies at Oxford University.

Speaking at the College on Thursday evening, Professor David Banister presented his audience with a series of sobering facts and figures to convey the scale of the problem. Whilst improvements in technology, maximising the use of existing capacity and raising ticket prices would help to address some of the problems created by existing demand, they are not enough to cope with the rapid growth predicted over the next few decades. The environmental impact of the rise in air traffic is potentially huge and government tax breaks to airlines serves to encourage rather then suppress this growth. The professor believes everyone should be aware of the true costs of air travel and called for a wider debate involving industry, government and the general public.

Located on the site of the College’s old swimming pool, the new facility has been built with the help of a significant donation from the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, which was set up by Professor Ferguson in memory of his parents. Both the lecture theatre and meeting room are also available for use by local community groups.

During the official opening, his widow, Mrs Elnora Ferguson, said, “I think John would be utterly delighted with how the school has developed and very humbled, but proud, to know that this wonderful facility had been named after him.”

To commemorate John Ferguson’s outstanding contribution to education, the College has launched a series of public lectures and forums. This autumn will see Tony Benn talking about some of the really big problems that will have to be faced if the human race is to survive in the future, how they might be tackled and the role that young people can play to make a difference and chief economist of the HSBC, Stephen King, will give a lecture on global issues. There will also be public forums on the Spanish civil war 70 years on and the pioneering use of geographical information system technology in education.