Councils lobby MPs on night flights

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Cross party agreement against proposed increase in night flights�.

Three local authorities are stepping up their campaign to prevent any further increases in night flights at Heathrow.

Last week a proposal in the Civil Aviation Bill to abolish the current movements limit on early morning arrivals was defeated by the House of Lords.

Now, fearing that the controversial measure may be reinstated in the Commons, the leaders of Wandsworth, Hounslow and Windsor and Maidenhead councils have written to MPs spelling out the impact of additional flights on residents’ quality of life.

Wandsworth leader Edward Lister said, “This is an issue that extends far beyond west London. The fight to retain the night flights cap has the support of airport communities around the country. We believe that MPs with a concern for the environment and the health of the community will want to preserve the protection of the movements limit”

The leader of Labour controlled Hounslow Council, Colin Ellar said, “We estimate around one million people who live, work and go to school in the west London and Heathrow area are exposed to noise levels which are above the limits for annoyance laid down by the World Health Organisation. If more planes are allowed to come in this can only worsen the quality of life for these communities.”

Since 1993 the noise impact from aircraft landing at night has been managed by a combination of a noise quota and a movements limit. The latter protection was introduced by a High Court judge who said that a quota system was designed ‘to bamboozle residents into thinking that more night flights somehow equals less noise and less sleep disturbance.'

Clause 2(2) of the Civil Aviation Bill would remove the movements limit. The Department for Transport argues that as planes get quieter it will be possible to allow more of them to fly without increasing the noise dose.

The three councils have written to MPs throughout the country representing airport communities.

March 22, 2006