PROPOSALS to transfer 80 York civil service jobs to Catterick could mean 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide being pumped into the atmosphere over five years, campaigners have claimed.

The Press revealed last month how the army was proposing to close 15 Brigade headquarters at Imphal Barracks in Fulford Road and move the work to an empty accommodation block at Catterick Garrison.

Unions claimed this would put up to 80 York jobs at risk, although some staff might opt to commute each day to Catterick and back to keep their jobs.

York Central MP Hugh Bayley asked the defence secretary recently if he could estimate the annual amount of carbon dioxide emissions arising from staff who would travel from York to Catterick, and was told it was not possible to provide a meaningful estimate.

But the Imphal Defence Group, an alliance of trade unions and retired civil servants which is campaigning to retain the brigade, has said it is “not impressed” by this answer, claiming it showed a lack of will by the Ministry of Defence.

The group said it had done its own calculations which it claimed showed the change would run counter to Government efforts to cut carbon emissions.

Spokesman Ian MacLaren said the distance from the centre of York to the Catterick barracks was 47 miles, and a telephone survey had indicated that a minimum of five staff would opt to travel there, with a further four who would consider it.

“Assuming five working days a week, 40 weeks per year for five staff, we get 94,000 miles,” he said.

“That is an additional unnecessary 94,000 miles that would be driven if the Brigade HQ was moved from York to Catterick.”

He said based on the average emissions of a family car, 94,000 miles would mean more than 30,255 unnecessary kilograms of carbon released into the atmosphere every year.

“Assuming these people then work at this location for another five years after their transfer, this means carbon emissions by HQ 15 (NE) Brigade will produce an extra 151 tonnes of carbon dioxide over five years instead of the Government’s expected reduction.”

An MoD spokesman said the Army was reviewing its regional structure, as announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

“These changes may impact on Headquarters 15 (NE) Brigade but that is still the subject of further work and it would be inappropriate to speculate on what the outcome of that work may be. All aspects of the options under consideration will be looked at.”