LOUDER JET NOISE RUINS THOUSANDS OF LIVES

2.58.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 27th May 2003

Reports that night flight noise from Heathrow is twice the legal limit strengthens the environmental case for a total ban on night flights, Liberal Democrat MP, Vince Cable said today.

Vince Cable MP, whose Twickenham constituency is on the Heathrow flight path, said:

"The greed of the airline industry for extra runways and more flights is ruining thousands of lives because of the lack of sleep night flight noise causes."

"This evidence, that night flight noise is twice the legal limit, strengthens the environmental case for a total ban on night flights.

"The Government has been lead by the nose on aviation policy by the aircraft industry. BAA and BA are setting the priorities and the Government is simply following."