The leader of Wandsworth Council has accused the Government of consigning Londoners to "four more years of noise misery" by continuing with the current night flight rules.

Councillor Ravi Govindia let fly after Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill unveiled the result of a "consultation" on night flight rules which offered no significant changes to the established system until next summer at the earliest.

The existing rules governing aircraft movements between 11.30pm and 6am were due to expire in October next year.

Campaigners have been pressing for early morning arrivals to be phased out due to mounting evidence of their affects on peoples’ health and quality of life.

Coun Govindia said: "The Department of Transport's own impact assessment points to new studies linking prolonged exposure to night noise to severe health issues, something many of our residents having been telling them for years.

"Phasing out the pre-6am arrivals is achievable and would dramatically reduce the impact Heathrow has on London. But they won’t budge and the Government is letting them get away with it.

"It’s hard to see things getting better. If the airport is given additional runways it can only lead to pressure for more early morning arrivals from the Far East."

Under the existing night flight quota 16 planes are allowed to land at Heathrow between 11.30pm and 6am. In practice all 16 come in to land between 4.30am and 6am on a typical day but then around 65 flights use the airport between 6am and 7am.

John Stewart, chairman of the anti-expansion pressure group Hacan, said: "Local people hate night flights with a vengeance.

"There will be huge disappointment that their sleep will continue to be disturbed. We will fight for an end to night flights in 2017."

The Department of Transport said it was extending the quota so that the Davies Commission on aviation, which reports in 2015, can make long-term recommendations.

 

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