PLANE HELL: TOO EARLY, TOO LATE, TOO NOISY, TOO LOW… TOO MANY!
Anyone living under a flight path will tell you one thing: it’s plane hell. For residents of Camberwell and other parts of South London it’s fast becoming a nightmare.
The Plane Hell campaign was born in response to local residents noticing an increase in the number of planes flying over a particular area of Camberwell, almost without a break, and starting as early as 4.30am.
The main issue for Southwark is noise from overflying aircraft on approach to land at Heathrow and London City Airports.
To get an idea about what it’s like to experience ongoing disruption as a result of plane noise then click here for the thoughts of local resident Bridget Bell.
THE DEMANDS
- Enable residents to achieve at least 7 hours sleep, the minimum recommended by WHO (World Health Organisation) for good health, and ban all flights between 11pm – 6am (better still 7am).
- Ensure any remaining night routes avoid populated areas to mitigate the impact of aircraft noise.
- Keep aircraft higher for longer by utilising Continuous Descent Approaches which reduce noise because they require less engine thrust and keep planes above 6000 feet.
- Stop aircraft concentrating over residential areas.
- Stop the impact on mental and physical health caused by aircraft noise and aircraft pollution flying low over residential areas and keep planes above 6000 feet.
- Take the whine out of arriving aircraft.
A plane flying low over Bethwin Road
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
ONLINE PETITION
Click here to sign the online petition addressed to the Minister for Aviation.
WRITE TO YOUR MP
Individuals, countrywide, have been encouraged to write to their MPs to underline the negative impact night flights and lack of respite from daytime flights have on the health and welfare of their constituents, with the added effect on the environment.
You can download a template letter here – please feel free to make any changes or add your own text.
To find out who your local MP is click here.
There are currently no MPs in the House of Commons due to the dissolution of Parliament on 3 May 2017. This means that every seat in the Commons is vacant until after the general election on 8 June 2017 – but Campaigners urge you to respond to both Consultations, below, by 25 May 2017.
CONSULTATIONS
The Government is currently consulting on two aspects of airspace/aviation policy.
It will take no more than 5 minutes if you are content to cut and paste the Key points and send them to the relevant email address, always asking for an acknowledgement of receipt, and always giving your contact details. And / or make your own points – we all feel differently.
1. Respond to what is essentially a consultation on a 3rd runway at Heathrow and entitled the National Policy Statement
Key points to make in response:
• A third runway would bring many more people under new flight paths.
• The half day’s break from the planes which many communities currently enjoy would probably be cut to a third.
• A 7-hour night ban should be the very minimum, with no flights under any circumstances apart from mayday emergencies before 6.30am.
• Noise should be the key issue up until at least 7,000ft for any planes flying below this.
• The consultation should have included information as to where the new flight paths should be.
• Heathrow will struggle to comply with air pollution limits if a third runway is built.
• A third runway would require the destruction of at least 783 homes.
• Billions of pounds of taxpayers money would be needed for new rail and road infrastructure.
email: runwayconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk or write to Freepost Runway Consultation
2. Respond to the Airspace Policy Consultation
This does not just cover Heathrow. It is a national consultation. It deals with 5 key issues:
- the principles that should be used when flight paths are introduced
- the concentration of flight paths
- the key areas where noise should be given priority over other issues
- an Independent Noise Authority
- and revised metrics to assess noise annoyance.
Key points to make in response:
• Support the proposal for much more public engagement before new flight paths are introduced or changes are made to existing flight paths.
• Support multiple routes to avoid concentration over particular communities.
• Underline that noise should be the key issue up until at least 7,000ft for any planes flying below this.
• Support the setting up of an Independent Noise Authority but will require guarantees that it will be truly independent and will have teeth.
• Support new metrics to replace the current 57 decibel noise contour as ‘the onset of community annoyance’ by a less-than 46 decibel noise contour which will reflect more accurately the areas where noise is a problem.
email: airspace.policy@dft.gsi.gov.uk
NOISE DIARY
Campaigners are currently looking to gather as much evidence as possible to strengthen their case. This includes encouraging those who live under flight paths, and experience the adverse effects of plane noise, to record a diary of all of the incidents in which they are disturbed.
GET IN TOUCH
If you are experiencing issues with planes flying overhead then please do get in touch and offer your support to the campaign.