What’s happening?

New flightpaths are being proposed for the south and east of England, covering flights to and from Luton, Heathrow, Stansted, London City Airport and 59 smaller airfields.  The proposals have been developed by National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the body that provides air traffic control services in the UK.  NATS say changes are needed to existing flightpaths to reduce congestion now and in the future.

 One of NATS’ objectives is to reduce low flights over densely populated areas.  They state:

“Improvements in fuel efficiency and minimising the number of people overflown below 7000ft were given greater priority than avoiding AONBs and National Parks.”

This is why more flights would go over villages like Wigginton and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) like Ashridge and Tring Park.

Full details of the proposed changes can be found on the NATS website. Please click the link below for further information :

http://www.consultation.nats.co.uk/

Defend the peace and beauty of our village

The proposals would mean:

• A huge increase in noise and air pollution. The noisiest planes would bee equivalent to a heavy diesel truck travelling at 25mph at a distance of 23 feet.

• A reduction in flight levels from 4000 to 3000 feet above sea level (and Wigginton is about 700 feet above sea level)

• Many more aircraft flying directly over Wigginton. in 2009 there would be 47 planes an hour at peak hours passing within a mile of the church. By 2014 that figure would be 53

Because it is quiet here, aircraft noise will be much more intrusive than it is in noisier, more densely populated areas.

Wigginton residents are not the only ones who enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the area.  Tring Park and the Chilterns provide a crucial refuge from urban life for those who live in towns and cities, and are enjoyed by thousands of people every year.  And they are important for wildlife which would also be adversely affected by noise. 

Tring Park has already suffered from the noise and pollution of a new dual carriageway – don’t let aircraft do even more damage.

 The Chiltern Society opposes the proposals 

“This proposal is particularly ill thought through and will cause genuine disturbance for all those that value the Chilterns.”

John Taylor, chairman of the Chiltern Society

 Our MP is against the proposals 

“It is clear that we will suffer an increase in aircraft noise under these proposals... Aldbury and Wigginton will, for the first time, be under the ‘Noise Preferential Routes’ for departures from Luton Airport.  In other words, this is the swathe of airspace within which aircraft may be seen and heard under normal circumstances.”  David Gauke MP