Birmingham Airport anti-Noise Group

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Tuesday 27th April 2004

BANG! slams Euro politicians' "abysmal" complacency on night flight noise

Birmingham Airport anti-Noise Group (BANG) have condemned as "abysmal" the failure of UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to support a European ban on night flights, after a mere ten UK MEPs, and none from the West Midlands, gave their backing to the proposal [1].

In January this year, Green MEP Caroline Lucas and four European colleagues sponsored Written Declaration 4/2002 calling for a Europe-wide ban in commercial flights between 11pm and 7am. If a majority of MEPs had signed the Written Declaration before Monday's deadline, the proposal would have become the policy of the European Parliament.

BANG wrote to all eight West Midlands MEPs, as well as to four East Midlands MEPs with exceptional records of voting for environmental legislation, asking them to sign Written Declaration 4/2002.[2] The group received no reply from the Liberal Democrats or Labour, and only lame excuses from the Conservatives.[3]

We received a particularly brusque and discourteous reply from East Midlands Liberal Democrat MEP Bill Newton Dunn in which he lambasted the Green's proposal as "undemocratic" and a "bossy totalitarian idea".

Secretary of BANG James Botham said:

"The reactions we've had from MEPs on this issue have ranged from the hysterical to the contemptuously indifferent to the just plain ignorant. Collectively, UK MEPs have the worst voting record in Europe [4] and this result can do little to improve their standing with the electorate. Ten million EU citizens are estimated to suffer from aircraft noise,[5] which is particularly harmful during the night.[6] An EU-wide night flights ban, as well as protecting residents' well-being, would ensure that no airport enjoyed a competitive advantage over another."

Mr Botham added:

"Despite their abysmal response, our elected European representatives have been forced by campaigners and residents to confront this issue. Night flights are on the agenda again in Europe and soon no MEP will be able to wriggle out of their responsibilities towards EU citizens."

Editor's Notes

[1] Only 59 MEPs from across Europe supported the proposal to halt night flights at European airports.

The full list of British MEPs who signed the Written Declaration: Caroline Lucas, Green (South East); Jean Lambert, Green (London); Robert Evans, Labour (London); Sarah Ludford, Lib Dem (London); Chris Huhne, Lib Dem (South East); Andrew Duff, Lib Dem (Eastern); Eurig Wyn; Plaid (Wales); Jill Evans, Plaid (Wales); Neil MacCormick, SNP (Scotland); and Ian Hudgton, SNP (Scotland).

[2] The West Midlands has eight MEPs: They are: Philip Bradbourn (Cons); Philip Bushill-Matthews (Cons); John Corrie (Cons); Malcolm Harbour (Cons); Michael Cashman (Lab); Neena Gill (Lab); Simon Murphy (Lab); Liz Lynne (Lib Dems). Only Mr Harbour replied to BANG's letter.

The four East Midlands MEPs contacted by BANG are: Bill Newton Dunn (Lib Dem); Philip Whitehead (lab); Nicholas Clegg (Lib Dem); Mel Read (Lab). Only Mr Newton Dunn replied.

Copies of all correspondence are available from BANG on 0121 632 6909 or email bang@bhamantinoise.org.uk

In an analysis of voting records on key environmental votes over the last four years published by Friends of the Earth earlier this month, Bill Newton Dunn MEP and Nicolas Clegg MEP scored "top marks for voting for the environment". Phillip Whitehead and Mel Read also scored highly. The four West Midlands Conservative MEPs scored particularly poorly. See www.EU-votewatch.org

[3] The West Midlands Conservative MEPs took the view that night flights were the responsibility of national governments, not the European Parliament. However, the treaty which established the European Community states that the Council of Ministers may lay down rules that apply to international transport to or from a member state. The EU has also published a Noise Directive.

[4] Friends of the Earth ranked EU countries by comparing the total number of votes by a country's MEPs for environmental improvements and the total against. The UK had the lowest percentage of votes for environmental improvement (49 per cent).

[5] Green Party press release 26th January 2004. MEPs Demand Night Flight Ban to Protect Child Health. www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/london/londownloads/lpress_articles/0401nightflights.htm

[6] Noise related stress has a measurable impact on human health. California's Orange County Health Department one of the most comprehensive health-related studies reviewed and found that airport noise can specifically cause sleep disturbance, physiological stress reactions, temporary thresh-old shifts in hearing, interference with speech and communications, and psychological distress.

Noise-induced sleep disturbance can cause primary effects during sleep, and secondary effects that can be assessed the day after night-time noise exposure. Primary effects include: difficulty in falling asleep; awakenings and alterations of sleep stages or depth of sleep; increased blood pressure, heart rate and finger pulse amplitude; vasoconstriction; changes in respiration; cardiac arrhythmia; and increased body movements. Secondary or after-effects the following morning or day(s) include: reduced perceived sleep quality; increased fatigue; depressed mood or well-being; and decreased performance.