Rethink call on flight paths plan

Bedfordshire County Council has concerns over new flight paths

A rethink is needed on plans to change flight paths of planes using Luton airport, a council has warned.

Bedfordshire County Council has objected to the National Air Traffic Service's (Nats) proposed changes to flight routes.

The changes are part of plans to redraw the aircraft route map across the East.

The council fears the plans will increase noise above villages, but the Nats says the changes will benefit people across the region.

Bedfordshire County Council said it had rejected plans to concentrate aircraft in a band over Luton, Slip End, Caddington, Kensworth, Sudham and Whipsnade.

It is thought the changes would see an increase in noise above villages such as Caddington, Slip End, Studham and Kensworth, as well as to Dunstable and Houghton Regis and Luton.

Call for rethink

The council said it would be better to maintain current westerly departure flightpaths from Luton airport and its deputy leader said it had offered an alternative route to the Nats.

Deputy council leader Richard Stay said: "It is important that we make Nats rethink current plans.

"We have given Nats staff an alternative to their proposed option... which would maintain the current, more spread out departure patterns after westerly take offs.

"This would mean the new route would come into operation two to three miles from the airport and at higher altitudes, rather than turning at one mile from the airport.

"This is a better option because it reduces air traffic noise."

Nats is carrying out a consultation on the proposals which is due to finish on 19 June.

Nats said redrawing the map will allow aircraft to avoid as many towns and villages as possible and that it will reduce by almost a fifth the number of people living under the departure flight path at Luton.

Once the consultation period closes, the Civil Aviation Authority will then decide whether the changes can go ahead.

If approved, the changes would not become operational before Spring 2009.