Lib Dems Step up Pressure on Chiltern Flight Path Blight

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 7th May 2008

The Liberal Democrats are stepping up the pressure on the Government over the impact of airport expansion on the Chiltern AONB. Norman Baker MP Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Transport has tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions on the Government's policy towards the Chilterns. These are:

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Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

452

Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the projected change in numbers of flights (a) to and (b) from Luton Airport by 2020 is; what percentage of flights using Luton Airport were domestic in the latest period for which figures are available; and what percentage she expects to be domestic in 2020.

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453

Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional households in and around the Chiltern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will be overflown by flights at 3,000 feet as a result of the Luton Airport flight path changes proposed by National Air Traffic Services.

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454

Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people living in the Chiltern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty who will be affected adversely by the proposed National Air Traffic Services' changes to Luton Airport flight paths; and if she will make a statement.

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455

Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the objections by the Chilterns Conservation Board to the proposed changes to Luton Airport flight paths; and if she will make a statement.

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456

Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what environmental guidance her Department has provided to the National Air Traffic Services and the Civil Aviation Authority on the protection of the tranquillity of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty during the current consultation on the Luton, Heathrow and Stansted airport flight paths.

Tim Starkey of Chiltern Liberal Democrats said "the current NATs review of Luton and Heathrow flight paths is just one small part of a much bigger airport expansion threat to our local quality of life. Only the Liberal Democrats have argued consistently against the need for further expansion of airports in the south-east of England, with all of the noise pollution and damaging impact on climate change that this would bring. It's not enough to say "not in my back yard," unless we're also prepared to take the tough decisions nationally to stop airport expansion."