Night Flights At Heathrow

EDM number 776 in 1994-95, proposed by Nirj Joseph Deva on 13/03/1995.

That this House calls upon the Secretary of State for Transport, when conducting his review of the existing regulations covering night flights at Heathrow, to take into account that the number of daytime flights that burden the communities around Heathrow has now reached more than 1,100 per day, which exceeds by almost 50 per cent. the number agreed by the Government as a condition for the construction of Terminal Four; notes that evidence given by Richmond Council to the recent judicial review showed that over the last five years there had been a 59 per cent. increase in flight numbers between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., that the number of complaints about early morning flights at Heathrow during the last quarter of 1994 was more than double the number of complaints in any other category and that the present annual quota of 5,800 flights between 11.30 p.m. nd 6.00 a.m. represents fewer than 16 flights per night, or less than 1.5 per cent. of the total; in the light of these facts resolves that it is against nature, reason and justice that the communities which suffer throughout the day should also be deprived of sleep at night, simply to allow a quota of 16 flights; and accordingly calls upon the Secretary of State to introduce a total night curfew from 23.30 hours to 06.00 hours for all Heathrow flights, except genuine emergencies for reasons of safety.

This motion has been signed by a total of 21 MPs.