Council back calls to limit Edinburgh Airport night flights

Councillors on Edinburgh City Council have unanimously agreed a motion from the Liberal Democrats and backed a call for a new limit on the number of night time flights at Edinburgh Airport.
Edinburgh Airport has not proposed a limit on night flights as part of its consultation.Edinburgh Airport has not proposed a limit on night flights as part of its consultation.
Edinburgh Airport has not proposed a limit on night flights as part of its consultation.

Edinburgh Airport is currently consulting on a new noise action plan, which includes a range of measures to minimise the mitigate the impact of aircraft noise.

However, unlike most other major airports in the UK, the airport is not proposing any limit on the growing number of night time flights between 11pm and 6am.

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Liberal Democrats in west Edinburgh, including Christie Jardine MP, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, Cllr Kevin Lang and Cllr Louise Young launched a campaign to seek similar restrictions at Edinburgh Airport.

Although Edinburgh Council has no statutory power to insist on a limit, councillors agreed today that the Council will respond formally to the airport’s noise action plan consultation and support a limit on night time flying.

Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang, who represents areas like Cramond and Newbridge under the airport flight paths, proposed the motion at full Council. He said,

“We all want to see a successful Edinburgh Airport. However, the airport’s growth needs to be balanced against the impacts of its operations on the tens of thousands of people who live under the flight paths.

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“Many other UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, already have a limit on the number of night time flights. However there are no restrictions at all on Edinburgh Airport. There is a serious question as to why residents in parts of this city deserve less protection than people living in other parts of the country.

“This is why I am so delighted that the Council agreed my motion unanimously and backed the campaign for a night flight limit. I hope the airport will listen carefully to these views.”