Protests over new night flights

12.00.00am GMT Tue 21st Jan 2003

Vincent Cable, MP, and air noise pressure group HACAN are seeking a meeting with the airport authorities after reports of new air noise disturbance over the Twickenham area inside the curfew' hours when night flights are supposed to be restricted.

There have been reports of low flying and noisy take offs around 4am waking people up in the Hampton area and Vincent Cable said that over Twickenham there had been some very noisy take offs around midnight.

Vincent Cable said that "there are problems enough with the present night noise rules which still allow flights very early in the morning and late in the evening."

"But it is totally unacceptable for the airlines to disregard the curfew altogether as seems to be happening."

"A lot of hopes are resting on the current appeal hearing in the European Court of Human Rights that could lead to a total ban on night flights. But recent encroachment on the curfew hours suggests that there is also an issue of policing and enforcing restrictions which are agreed."