Since 12 January the Government has been consulting on what restrictions should be imposed at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted to limit night time flights and the disruption it causes residents in London and the south-east.
Although none of the large flightpaths have a direct impact on us in Bromley and Chislehurst, we are affected by stacking as aircraft approaching Heathrow effectively queue in the Biggin Hill holding point, located in the airspace above Bromley. This is something I have discussed in detail with Ministers at the Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority and industry representatives, and is just one reason why I oppose a third runway at Heathrow.
My response to the consultation can be found at the bottom of the page. In it, I have sought to convey the concerns that have been expressed to me by local residents, and believe that the measures being proposed – including a reduction in Heathrow’s total noise quota – will help mitigate the impact of noise pollution from in-bound flights. However, steps also need to be taken to ensure we take advantage of new satellite technology, something I will be pushing the Government to consider further over the coming months.
Separately, the Department for Transport is currently consulting on the draft Airports National Policy Statement and the proposed expansion to Heathrow, which is open until 25 May:
I will be responding to this in due course, and will again post my thoughts on my website once I have done so.
Attachments
Bob Neill response - Night flight restrictions consultation - Feb 2017.pdf