Speaking in the Second Reading of the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill today, Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire, raised concerns that the 'democratic voice' of local people has not been heard in the consultation about proposed air space changes at London Luton Airport (LLA). The Bill seeks to enable the Government to modernise airspace management and air traffic licensing, and to introduce new powers to tackle the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft or ‘drones’.
Richard had already raised concerns about this consultation with the Department for Transport in November 2020 and the Minister, Robert Courts MP's response is available below.
Speaking after the debate, Richard said: "This is a timely bill as there is an ongoing consultation on changes to airspace at Luton Airport. I asked the Minister to ensure in the Bill that the public do truly have a voice in the resolution of decided flight paths."
NATS, the air traffic services provider, and LLA have launched a consultation which closes on 5 February 2021 on changing the arrival flightpaths into Luton Airport. The Airport currently shares arrival routes and two holds with Stansted Airport and the consultation is seeking views on separating LLA’s arrivals flightpaths from Stansted’s and establishing a new hold for LLA.
The consultation offers two options from flight paths from the east and two options from the west, however, it offers no option to object to any changes to the existing flight paths. All of the options would have noise and air pollution consequences for many towns and villages in North East Bedfordshire, including Arlesey, Biggleswade, Potton and Sandy.
Richard said: "Many of my constituents feel that their ability to partake in the Luton Aiport airspace consultation has been curtailed by the actual framework in which the public are able to voice their concerns about those changes. It is limiting in what it is offering to the public in consultation options and they feel that their democratic voice has not been heard.
"I also raised with the Minister that the Bill should consider how those who bear the costs of the externalities to air space changes in terms of air quality, noise pollution or road congestion, should receive compensation from those who benefit from those changes. The air space changes at Luton Airport are driven by the expansion of the airport and both London Luton Airport and Luton Council are set to benefit from increased revenues while the residents of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire will face the consequences of that expansion and these issues are not addressed in the Bill as part of air space allocation."
In his closing remarks, the Minister urged Richard's constituents to engage with the consultation as LLA and NATS are obliged to take their views into account. Part of the Minister's response can be watched here.
The consultation closes on 5 February 2021.
