Countryside under threat from aircraft noise

Friday, 10 July 2009 12:00 AM

By Liz Stephens

The transport select committee said today that sensitive areas, such as National Parks, are at risk from aircraft noise.

In a report published today, the committee warned current airspace guidance "appears to allow unchecked increases" in flights, which could have a detrimental affect on areas of natural beauty.

The report calls on the government to limit flights over areas of particular rural significance and to introduce a national airspace master plan.

Ralph Smyth, senior transport campaigner for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said: "With ever more people holidaying in England this summer, the proposal to limit flying over sensitive parts of our countryside such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have not come a moment too soon."

CPRE is currently collaborating with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to develop new measures to assess the impact on tranquil areas of aircraft noise.

The transport select committee's report, The Use of Airspace, comes after five months of evidence into the environmental impacts of flying.

Tags:
• aviation
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• aviation noise
,
• domestic policy
,
• environment
,
• environment and rural affairs
,
• public services