Get involved

The plans can be inspected online where there is also a postcode lookup which claims to provide a localised picture of the changes. However, please be aware that we have received reports that this gives false results which are more rosy than the detail contained in the full documents.

As the consultation material is very large, it is really only accessible online to those with broadband access to the Internet (or saintly patience). NATS claims that it has provided the full documentation in public libraries in the area but we have found that 3 of those listed by NATS, Letchworth, Hitchin and Wigmore in Luton, had never heard of it. All 3 were able to point us to other libraries which do have it: Stevenage, Baldock and Luton Central Library.

LADACAN is very concerned that NATS has failed to publicise the consultation adequately. We have also found that, if you respond using their online form, you are unable to decline to answer the question which asks whether arrivals should be routed by "direct flight path" or "specified routes". If you try to do so, the process fails and you have to start to fill the form all over again!

Given the difficulty that interested residents face in trying to respond, we have produced a response form which you can print, complete and send to NATS. The TCN Area here is “Chilterns and Luton”.

NATS had not provided an address for questions on the consultation - even the Airport’s Consultative Committee had to press NATS to agree to answer questions and waited 7 weeks for what turned out to be only partial answers. LADACAN has objected to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the body which will make the decision on NATS proposals, on this and other respects in which the consultation fails to conform to CAA’s guidelines, particularly the poor accessibility and quality of the consultation and the inadequacy of the publicity which accompanied it (see our letter).

However, a member of LADACAN has now (29 May) received a letter saying that questions can be sent to the address for consultation responses: TCN Consultation, NATS, Freepost NAT22750, Reading RG1 4BR.

Furthermore, we have now confirmed that the consultation documents and forms have found their way into Hitchin library.

Page archived 20 June 2008- no further updates

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