Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark urges Gatwick CEO to “go back to the drawing board” on flight paths

Greg Clark, MP for Tunbridge Wells, has written to Gatwick asking them  to reconsider the “flawed” consultation on aircraft flight paths and noise, and urging them to “go back to the drawing board.”  He recently (14th July) met Gatwick and NATS staff about the problem. He tells Gatwick that the consultation has not only caused outrage among his constituents for what it proposes but also for how the consultation has been managed. There are serious concerns among local in the area about the “superhighway” overhead, though Gatwick says the increase in noise is just that more Brits are flying abroad this summer, (on cheap flights for holidays).  Greg says that the noise disturbance has considerably worsened recently and many have been “disturbed and dismayed by much higher levels of aircraft noise this summer.” He adds: “… the consultation has been unfit for its purpose…..(its) ..purpose was to have been to gauge reaction to particular precise routes. Yet the exact route has not been disclosed to the public. Instead, a wide swathe has been marked on maps which make it exceedingly difficult to work out what is the exact route proposed…..the proposals being put forward (are) too ill defined to comment properly.” He believes the misguided proposal to increase flights over Langton Green, Speldhurst, Rusthall and Bidborough should be rethought.

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Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark urges Gatwick CEO to “go back to the drawing board”

By Sarah Ward sarah.ward@courier.co.uk

GREG CLARK, MP for Tunbridge Wells, has called on Gatwick Airport Ltd to reconsider the “flawed” consultation on aircraft noise and emissions, which closes next week, urging them to “go back to the drawing board.”

In a letter seen exclusively by the Courier, Greg Clark ( the Minister for Universities, Science and Cities) slams the controversial consultation, which has caused outrage among his constituents, not just for what it proposes but for how the consultation has been managed.

Concerns that Gatwick may be trialling a ‘superhighway’ have been raised by campaigners, although repeatedly denied by the airport, who say that an increase in noise recently is due to a seasonal trend, with more families jetting off on holiday in the summer months.  [Note – no mention of vital business connections for the UK economy – just cheap holiday flights, mainly taking money out of the UK].

In the letter, sent yesterday to Stewart Wingate, the chief executive of Gatwick Airport Ltd,   Mr Clark wrote: “Many of my constituents are affected by flights at Gatwick. While we benefit from the proximity of an international airport in terms of convenience and employment, the impact in terms of noise and disturbance is very significant.

“This disturbance has considerably worsened recently. You have provided me with written assurance that this is not because of any change to routes or landing patterns, but because of increased activity which is partly seasonal and partly to do with a reviving economy, but nevertheless many of my constituents have been disturbed and dismayed by much higher levels of aircraft noise this summer.”

Mr Clark has met with representatives of Gatwick in recent months and held a meeting at the House of Commons on July 14 with Tom Denton, head of corporate responsibility at the airport, and National Air Traffic Services (NATS) manager of air traffic control at Gatwick, Andy Taylor, to raise concerns.

In the letter, he reiterated the points made in the meeting, echoing campaigners’ fears that the consultation has been too vague.

“However, I am afraid to say that the consultation has been unfit for its purpose,” Mr Clark wrote. “The purpose was to have been to gauge reaction to particular precise routes. Yet the exact route has not been disclosed to the public. Instead, a wide swathe has been marked on maps which make it exceedingly difficult to work out what is the exact route proposed.

“I know from discussion with constituents and their councils that they regard the proposals being put forward as too ill defined to comment properly.”

He wrote: “It seems most likely that the proposal is for the centre of the main route to overfly Langton Green, Speldhurst, Rusthall and Bidborough in my constituency. If that is indeed the case, it is totally unacceptable.

“This is an area of substantial residential settlements, which is home to many thousands of people. All of them would have significantly increased levels of noise compared to the current, more dispersed pattern of flight arrivals.”

Referring to Government policy, which states that aircraft routes should cause as little disturbance to residential areas as possible – something disputed by campaigners in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), who say they will suffer disproportionately if that goes ahead, Mr Clark called for a rethink.

“It concerns me that to even have put forward a main route that appears to overfly such known residential areas departs from this principle.  I believe it is imperative that this misguided proposal should be sent back to the drawing board.”

He concluded: “A successful Gatwick airport is of great benefit to us all but to ensure that it can be successful in the future, it is crucial that Gatwick treats its neighbours with respect including acting transparently with full disclosure and a concern to minimise the impact on people affected.

“This exercise fails to do that.”

The Gatwick Airport Ltd airspace consultation closes on August 14 (Thursday). To respond to it, visit:  http://www.gatwickairport.com/business-community/aircraft-noise/consultations-and-schemes/airspace-consultation/airspace-consultation-documents/

http://www.courier.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE-Tunbridge-Wells-MP-Greg-Clark-urges/story-22220573-detail/story.html

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See also:

Crispin Blunt MP investigates recent increase in aircraft noise in Redhill area due to changes to Gatwick flight paths

Following a recent increase in complaints of increased aircraft noise over Redhill and Earlswood, MP for Reigate, Crispin Blunt has visited Gatwick Airport for an explanation. He has also met Heathrow and the MP for Mole Valley, Sir Paul Beresford, to identify the cause of the increase in over-flight noise, and investigate potential remedies and future trends in aircraft noise patterns. Crispin has set out a clear explanation of what has been happenning, and why people in his constituency are now being affected. Gatwick is trying out new routing patterns, that might come into effect in 18 months time, by which flights take off in a similar pattern as before, but follow a much narrower air corridor over Redhill and Earlswood. This has reduced the area in which people are overflown, but concentrated the amount of noise that a smaller number of residents on the narrower flight path have to suffer. Some Gatwick departure aircraft are being held low by NATS over Redhill, to avoid aircraft stacking prior to landing at Heathrow. These are tracking north closer to Redhill than before. This is part of the FAS (Future Airspace Strategy) which is being worked on, and which will not be completed till 2019. By then, the conflict with the Heathrow routes may be resolved.

Click here to view full story…

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Gatwick admits to sacrificing the lives of those in countryside to satisfy its expansion plans

The Gatwick flight path trial, and other intensified flight paths associated with Gatwick, continue to cause not only annoyance but real distress to perhaps thousands in the area. In an article reported in part of the aviation media, some of the anger and frustration comes across, as well as the callous manner in which Gatwick airport appears to view people who live in the countryside, and whose quality of life has been attacked by plane noise. Stewart Wingate is reported as saying “Why would you choose to fly a quarter of a million more planes every year over one of the world’s most densely populated cities (London) when instead you can fly them mostly over fields.” His ignorant comment about the area over-flown by Gatwick planes as just fields has enraged people. The article says Mr Wingate “appears to suggest sacrificing the lifestyle, peace and quiet of those who have chosen to live outside cities for the profit of a few – the foreign owners of Gatwick Airport.” The airport has already started the process of ‘Air Grab’ over a number of Sussex towns and villages. That is a frightening prospect when Mr Wingate has said his ambition is to make Gatwick larger than Heathrow is today.

Click here to view full story…

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Tunbridge Wells & Bidborough residents, and High Weald parishes unite against Gatwick runway plans

The threat of a 2nd Gatwick runway is a very real one for people living under existing flight paths, and in areas where new flight paths are likely. Now villages 20 miles out to the east from Gatwick have formed an action group to campaign against Gatwick’s expansion plans. The Parish Councils of Chiddingstone, Hever, Leigh and Penshurst have formed the High Weald Parish Councils Aviation Action Group. There is also a new, and highly active, group at Bidborough, BEAG. At a meeting on 17th June in Tunbridge Wells the noise problem of existing an new flights paths was discussed. Local people fear a new Gatwick ‘Superhighway’ route across their area, with some 350 planes per day – all the aircraft arriving at Gatwick from the south – in a concentrated stream above West Kent most of the year from 06:30-11:30 hours without respite. There is real opposition to the noise nuisance, and reduction in the quality of life, of thousands from the flight paths. There is also real concern about the noise’s negative impact on the tourism industries of West Kent – such as the unique and historically valuable Hever Castle and Penshurst Place.

Click here to view full story…

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