Guide to the NATS consultation

A number of people have reached the conclusion that the changes to routes will reduce the overflying and noise which they experience. As with most changes there will be winners and losers but, before reaching a conclusion, make sure that you understand the information being presented in the NATS documents and on its web site. And read our advice for all consultees.

In particular:

1. Remember that the purpose of these changes is to allow more aircraft to fly over us all - NATS expects to be able to accommodate 28 per cent more flights. NATS makes it clear that they do not take responsibility for assessing the impact of future air traffic growth on people on the ground and the Government, in its recent consultation on the expansion of Heathrow only concerned itself with the effects of a 50 per cent increase in flights on those living within a few miles of the Airport.
2. NATS has taken care to present the new routes with “worst case” information on aircraft heights but this may give a false impression about where ‘planes may fly in the normal course of events. For Luton departures for example, the majority of flights reach 4,000 feet, the height at which they can be directed off the new standard routes, around the point at which the worst-performing aircraft cited by NATS would only be at 2,000 feet. In reality, therefore, flights may be more likely to be in the areas shown green or yellow than on the standard routes.

Members of LADACAN have attended a NATS briefing for the Airport Consultative Committee at which it was confirmed that:

• The new routes will be mandatory for aircraft below 4,000 feet above sea level (3,500 feet above most of the hills surrounding Luton). As most current Luton departure routes apply only to 3,000 feet, this change would itself reduce the number of people affected by noise.
• The people who will occupy the 10,000 new homes which are being planned to the west and north of Stevenage and the other new developments north of Luton were not counted in the statistics which claim to show a reduction in the population overflown. Those at Stevenage alone will wipe out the claimed reduction for all Luton routes.
• The current easterly departure route for destinations to the north, which, on paper, passes south of Hitchin but which, in practice, flies over the Town, is to be retained and will not use the precision navigation technology. It has not been possible to redesign this route as these aircraft potentially conflict with arrivals travelling to the west north of Hitchin.
• Figures F7 and F9 of the consultation document are incorrect in showing Hemel Hempstead being overflown at less than 4,000 feet. Aircraft below this level would be expected to remain close to the departure route which runs north of the Town.

In March, through the Airport Consultative Committee, LADACAN submitted further questions to be put to NATS the answers to which are necessary to interpret the proposals correctly. Answers to these were not received until 16 May.

The company was reluctant to provide a contact for questions, a clear breach of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA’s) guidelines on consultation known as CAP 725, but has now relented - questions may be sent to the address for responses to the consultation: TCN Consultation, NATS, Freepost NAT22750, Reading RG1 4BR. But we advise marking your letter clearly for immediate attention or risk having it buried among the responses to the consultation.

Page archived 20 June 2008- no further updates

Luton & District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise - site updated 06 July, 2008