Airport flightpath refusal angers MP

Edinburgh Airport bosses have blocked an attempt to extend a public consultation into controversail new flightpath proposals.
Edinburgh Airport bosses have refused to extende the consultaion period.Edinburgh Airport bosses have refused to extende the consultaion period.
Edinburgh Airport bosses have refused to extende the consultaion period.

In a letter sent to Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Lesley Laird, bosses also confirmed they would not hold another public meeting alongside the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) until after the consultation ends on June 28.

Mrs Laird had sought concessions after residents packed a recent public meeting to express outrage at plans for a flight path that would impact heavily on several Fife communities along the Forth.

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The MP told the Press the decision was “extremely disappointing”.

She said: “Airport representatives were given a vital opportunity to act after gauging just how unpalatable this flight path proposal is - and a chance to accept reasonable concessions which, to my mind, constitute a fair consultation process.

“Instead, the airport believes all questions were adequately addressed. I beg to differ, and I’ve no doubt many people in communities affected by the flight path will too.

”The length of time and scope of this consultation, given there are clearly so many unanswered concerns, is wholly unacceptable.”

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Airport planners had been urged to consider an alternative route which would see flights track an ascent east along the Forth, thereby gaining height before turning back on Fife, or missing Fife altogether.

In response the airport said it would gather all opinion during the consultation, re-examine previously considered options and assess all new suggestions.

“The airport claims it can’t propose a path which increases mileage, fuel burn or fuel consumption,” said Mrs Laird.

“But that should be weighed against the cost of blighting people’s lives.

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“This is a minimal detour which provides immediate noise solutions and should be given the serious consideration it deserves.”

And the MP questioned what was being done to mitigate the misery already being suffered by many residents.

“I’ve been told monitors have been purchased and will be placed to evaluate new routes to see how they are performing and offer a comparison against a baseline provided to the CAA.

“Again that raises questions about whether data recorded under new permitted flight paths will be appreciably different from actual noise levels currently.”