Residents from Plane Wrong submit a petition to the CAA, opposing Gatwick flight path changes
A petition signed by more than 2,000 Mole Valley residents has been delivered to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) by members of the PlaneWrong campaign group. The petition was presented on Monday 22nd December, along with a submission opposing the recent flight path changes implemented by Gatwick Airport last year, which campaigners claim was carried out without direct consultation with those affected by noise pollution. PlaneWrong was formed in September by a group of Mole Valley residents to campaign against the permanent flight path changes to the areas south and east of Dorking, which were previously unaffected by aircraft noise. A spokesman for the group said: “By organising public meetings, door-to-door leaflet distribution, a full social media campaign and engaging with local media, PlaneWrong has united communities, including villages from Coldharbour to South Nutfield, and the towns of Dorking, Reigate and Redhill. PlaneWrong presented its powerful 44-page submission for inclusion in the CAA’s Post Implementation Review (PIR) process. The objective of the PIR is to assess whether Gatwick implemented the change correctly.
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Residents submit a petition opposing Gatwick flight path changes
Dec 27th, 2014
By Mark Edwards (Get Surrey)
Campaign group PlaneWrong claim changes to flight paths by Gatwick Airport were implemented without direct consultation with those affected by noise pollution
PlaneWrong members hand over submission and petition to Phil Roberts of the CAA
A petition signed by more than 2,000 Mole Valley residents has been delivered to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) by members of the PlaneWrong campaign group.
The petition was presented on Monday (December 22) along with a submission opposing the recent flight path changes implemented by Gatwick Airport last year, which campaigners claim was carried out without direct consultation with those affected by noise pollution.
PlaneWrong was formed in September by a group of Mole Valley residents to campaign against the permanent flight path changes to the areas south and east of Dorking, which were previously unaffected by aircraft noise.
A spokesman for the group said: “By organising public meetings, door-to-door leaflet distribution, a full social media campaign and engaging with local media, PlaneWrong has united communities, including villages from Coldharbour to South Nutfield, and the towns of Dorking, Reigate and Redhill.
“PlaneWrong presented its powerful 44-page submission for inclusion in the CAA’s Post Implementation Review (PIR) process. The PIR is a review 12 months after the implementation of an airspace change. The objective of the PIR is to assess whether Gatwick implemented the change correctly.”
The PlaneWrong submission was the culmination of two months’ work, which was researched by the group, with advice sought from aviation experts and environmental lawyers.
Contributions from the general public and Surrey Hills AONB were also included in the document, which was presented to Phil Roberts, CAA assistant director of airspace policy.
The spokesman added: “Residents and local businesses alike are, and will, suffer from the long-term impact of these changes. In particular Leith Hill, which attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year, is now subject to the continuous noise of low- flying aircraft. Visitors from out of the area will simply stop coming or not return.
“PlaneWrong has the full support of local MPs, Sir Paul Beresford and Crispin Blunt, who both attended public meetings held in October.”
Mr Blunt, MP for Reigate, said: “Thanks to PlaneWrong for organising this 2,000 strong petition. Noise disturbance brought on by PR-NAV has unhappily been a top issue for constituents in 2014. Letters and emails continue to grow in number, and the anger expressed in these, and at the PlaneWrong public meeting I attended in October, is palpable.
“When people are reduced to tears over an incessant racket over their homes, I am acutely conscious we must work to address this as soon as possible.”
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See also
Gatwick flight paths comment deadline to CAA by 5th Jan 2015 on PIR (Post Implementation Review)
Gatwick airport carried out a consultation on changes to its airspace at the end of 2013, finishing in January 2014. They then carried out another consultation in May 2014. Gatwick is required to allow time for people to comment and give their feedback on the impacts of proposed airspace changes. This is called a PIR (Post Implementation Review). The deadline is 5th January 2015. After that date, the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) will review the comments – and the degree to which changes to flight paths have affected the public being overflown. The airspace changes are due to PRNAV (precision navigation) and PBN (performance based navigation) – meaning aircraft fly much more accurate routes than was possible before, and routes are also concentrated to be more narrow than before. People who have been adversely affected by flight path changes from aircraft using Gatwick are recommended to send in their comments again. (The CAA has not confirmed that they would consider earlier emails or letters). There is no specific consultation document or form to fill in. The address to email is mark.swan.GatwickPIR@caa.co.uk People need to not only write to the CAA, but copy this to their MP and to the DfT.
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