The DEMAND Campaign launches a Downing Street e-petition against Night Flights at East Midlands Airport



Steve Charlish Chairman of the DEMAND Campaign group (Demand East Midlands Airport is Now Designated1) “said we are asking the Prime Minister to limit night flying at EMA, and are asking that the restrictions already applicable to the big three London Airports Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, are applied at EMA.



East Midlands Airport has been allowed massive expansion of night flights which exceed acceptable levels to the local community who bear the burden of noise blight by living underneath the flight paths.

In the last twelve months (2007) there were 19,888 flights between 2300 hours and 0700 at EMA all in the name of consumerism and globalisation, the numbers are set to double over the next few years.


East Midlands Airport now has more night flights than Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted, if your argument against aviation expansion is climate change or night noise blight both have a much greater affect to the environment at night, please sign the petition.



East Midlands Airport has marketed itself to potential air operators as a night operation airport that is unconstrained and able to accommodate aircraft that may be unable to operate at other airports because of local curfews and other noise restriction rules. It is therefore easier for noisy cargo aircraft to use EMA with aircraft age ranging from 25-50years old.



At East Midlands Airport a noise regime exists with no planning limits or Central Government restrictions the community is therefore at the mercy of the Airport’s meaningless voluntary code of noise restrictions (10 point noise plan, arguably a set of rules with no tangible parameters) allowing all types of aircraft to fly through the entire Night Period.



Noisy Cargo aircraft are therefore drawn to EMA because of the lack of restrictions and constraints at the airport and the average age of the cargo aircraft, that operate there at EMA



It all adds up to unacceptable levels of community blight. It is time for central Government to set limits and reduce further damage to the community. To find an acceptable Night Flights limit putting the community first and stopping the steam roller of ‘Night Activity’ expansion from its owners Manchester Airport Group”.

The petition can be found at:


 http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/peacefulnight/

the petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Restrict Night Flights at East Midlands Airport using section 78 (Designation) of the 1982 Civil Aviation Act to restrict the amount of Night Flights We are asking for Regulatory powers to be applied at East Midlands Airport, with regard to Night Flights. We ask that the Secretary of State applies controls that the airport is (designated under section 78 of the 1982 Civil Aviation Act) to limit the excessive environmental noise blight from the unrestricted night flying permitted at the airport. East Midlands Airport hosts more night flights than any of the big three London Airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) which are regulated by the Government under the 1982 Civil Aviation Act.



Steve Charlish

www.demand.uk.net



Designation is a process determined by the Secretary of State for Transport who has the ability to define limits of night flying using section 78 of the 1982 Civil Aviation Act, Designation used to limit Night Flight activity at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

Parliamentary Question by David Taylor MP 13th March 2008 Hansard


Night Flying: East Midlands Hansard
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many night flights there were from (a) East Midlands Airport and (b) designated London airports in each of the last 10 years. [192417]

Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 10 March 2008]: Night flights at the three London designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) are subject to restriction. With some exemptions, a movements and noise quota limit applies during the night quota period (11.30 pm to 6.00 am). The following table sets out the number of movements of aircraft subject to these controls. While there are restrictions on the type of aircraft that can be operated during the shoulder periods (11.00 pm to 11.30 pm and 6 am to 7 am) there are no limits on movements or quota during these periods.