Stop Stansted Expansion calls on CAA and NATS to reverse 2016 flight path change, that are causing noise misery

SSE says National Air Traffic Services (NATS), who develop flightpaths for Britain’s airports, should reverse changes made last year.  The changes to flightpaths are causing “noise misery.” The changes, introduced in February 2016, have led to a doubling of flights using the easterly Clacton departure routes and led to more than four times the number of complaints about aircraft noise (4,000 in 2016 compared to 760 in 2015). NATS and the CAA are conducting a review of the changes, to assess the impacts and benefits against what was expected when the plans were introduced. SSE noise adviser, Martin Peachey, said: “Whenever there are changes to flight paths there are always winners and losers but in this instance it seems that the only winners are the airlines. There must be more equitable outcome so that local residents do not pay a high price in terms of increased noise misery.” The changes were opposed by residents at public consultation, with 82% of those who responded, but were nevertheless approved by the CAA and implemented in February 2016 because there were judged to be benefits for airlines, in terms of fuel savings and time saving. Any minor benefits for airlines are far outweighed by the additional noise misery being inflicted upon local communities. SSE is urging local residents to make their views known to NATS.
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Anti-Stansted expansion group calls on airport to reverse flightpath changes during review

By Huw Wales  (Hertfordshire Mercury)
May 9th 2017

Stansted Airport should change its flightpaths because it is causing “noise misery,” a campaign group has said as a review is ordered.

The Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) campaign has said that National Air Traffic Services (NATS), who develop flightpaths for Britain’s airports, should reverse changes made last year.

READ MORE: Stansted Airport arrivals building given go-ahead

The NATS and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is conducting a review of the changes to assess the impacts and benefits against what was expected when the plans were introduced.

The changes, introduced in February 2016, have led to a doubling of flights over the Clacton departure routes and led to more than four times the number of complaints about aircraft noise.

The campaign has claimed that there were only 760 noise complaints in 2015, compared to more than 4,000 in 2016.

SSE noise adviser, Martin Peachey, said: “Whenever there are changes to flight paths there are always winners and losers but in this instance it seems that the only winners are the airlines.

“There must be more equitable outcome so that local residents do not pay a high price in terms of increased noise misery.”

The changes were opposed by residents at consultation, with 82 per cent of those who responded opposing moving the flight paths into Stansted Airport.
http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/anti-stansted-expansion-group-calls-on-airport-to-reverse-flightpath-changes/story-30320048-detail/story.html

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REVERSE THE FLIGHT PATH CHANGES – SAYS SSE

STOP STANSTED EXPANSION

8 May 2017

Flight paths for aircraft taking off from Stansted were changed last year by National Air Traffic Services (‘NATS’) which has led to a doubling of flights during the day on the easterly ‘Clacton’ departure routes, causing additional aircraft noise misery for local residents beneath those flightpaths.

The changes were opposed by 82% of those who responded to the public consultation held beforehand but were nevertheless approved by the CAA and implemented in February 2016 because there were judged to be benefits for airlines, in terms of fuel savings and time saving.

A review of the changes by NATS and CAA is currently underway to assess the actual impacts and benefits against what had been expected when they approved the changes last year.

Stop Stansted Expansion (‘SSE’) spearheaded a vigorous local campaign against the changes from the outset and is now urging local residents to use the opportunity of this review to press for a reversal of the changes.

After 15 months of experience of the flight path changes, SSE is more convinced than ever that any minor benefits for airlines are far outweighed by the additional noise misery being inflicted upon local communities.  The figures speak for themselves.  Stansted Airport received over 4,000 individual complaints about aircraft noise in 2016, compared to just 760 the previous year.

SSE has written to NATS and the CAA setting out the reasons why these flight path changes must now be reversed.  SSE has also proposed immediate mitigation measures that could lessen the impacts of intensified overflying and has offered to meet NATS to discuss the issues further.

SSE Noise Adviser Martin Peachey commented: “Whenever there are changes to flightpaths there are always winners and losers but in this instance it seems that the only winners are the airlines. There must be a more equitable outcome so that local residents do not pay a high price in terms of increased noise misery.”

The deadline for submissions in response to the current review is 15 May and SSE is urging local residents to make their views known to NATS if they have not already done so.

For information on how to respond to NATS, go to http://stopstanstedexpansion.com/nats.html

Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign – NATS Airspace Consultation

stopstanstedexpansion.com

In early 2008 National Air Traffic Services issued a consultation on the management of airspace in the Terminal Control North area which looked at changing the …

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

 

FURTHER INFORMATION AND COMMENT

  • SSE Campaign Office, T 01279 870558;  info@stopstanstedexpansion.com

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