Analysis prompts campaign groups HACAN and Fight the Flights to form an alliance.
Hounslow is the most overflown borough in London. But the big surprise in a new analysis released by the campaign group HACAN is the huge number of planes in the sky over East London. Waltham Forest is London’s third most overflown borough. Half of the top 12 boroughs are in East or South East London. The shock figures have prompted to HACAN to form an alliance with Fight the Flights, the East London campaign group which is fighting plans for a 50% increase in flights at City Airport.
HACAN Chair John Stewart said, “This survey shows very clearly that aircraft noise has become a London-wide problem. We expected Hounslow and Richmond to top the list but we were surprised that Waltham Forest and Newham were in third and fourth place respectively. We have decided to form an alliance with Fight the Flights to highlight what is going on in East London.”
Anne-Marie Griffin, the Chair of Fight the Flights, said, “We are living under London’s forgotten flight paths. Already the noise is intolerable in many areas. It will only get worse if City Airport is allowed to increase flights by 50%.”
Bow resident Jacqueline Bradshaw-Price, who is disturbed by both City and Heathrow aircraft, said, “I have worked out I live under nine different flight paths! It is like living under a sky of sound.”
The HACAN survey did not look at the heights of the aircraft. Stewart said, “If we had only counted planes that were say, over 8,000 feet, Croydon and probably Sutton would have dropped out of the top 12 to be replaced by Lewisham and one of the North London boroughs but the general picture would have remain largely unchanged.”
HACAN has commissioned a study which will examine any operational changes that could be made which could ease the problem for people living in the boroughs many miles from Heathrow. It will be published later this year.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
(1). Analysis attached
For more information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 079572385650
Anne-Marie Griffin on 07984300558
Jacqueline Bradshaw-Price on 0208 980 2447