Major airspace review could see flights over Suffolk reduced

The two counties have suffered a massive increase in overflying in the past three decades as more and more jets have been leaving the UK for Europe, and the Middle and Far East.

Now Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says a major review is underway to minimise the burden - saying Suffolk and Essex is part of a region with some of the busiest and most complex airspace in the world.

Mr Shapps said the south-east of Suffolk and the eastern part of Essex have historically been busy entry and departure points for aircraft flying to and from the UK heading to a range of European and other destinations - though many are above 20,000ft at this point, he appreciated that they can still cause disturbance.

He said: "Going forward, the UK has a major programme of airspace modernisation underway."

One of the objectives is to make changes to outward routes and inward approaches and remove the need for holding stacks.

Campaigners have pressed hard for many years to reduce the number of flights (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

He said: "This will allow aircraft operations to be configured in the most optimal manner to minimise the noise impacts for those overflown, including use of more direct routes, and also to limit aviation emissions."

Airspace in south Suffolk and north Essex has two ‘invisible beacons’ which air traffic controllers have used more and more. One is over Clacton, the other, called LAPRA, is above Ipswich.

This leads to hundreds of flights a day, the majority in and out of Stansted but many from London Luton, Heathrow and Gatwick, overflying communities - causing noise nuisance, worries over pollution, and vapour trails which blot out blue skies.

One of thousands of flights this week underscored the issue. The flight left Gatwick bound for Istanbul but instead of heading straight out across Kent, the plane flew north and then east across Suffolk, adding many unnecessary miles to its journey.

News of the Secretary of State’s review emerged from a constituent of Suffolk Coastal Therese Coffey.

He has been concerned about the huge amount of planes traversing the Felixstowe peninsula. He said: ”Finally there’s confirmation that Suffolk and Essex have been taking a huge hit when it comes to air traffic.

“And it looks as though there’ll be a reduction thanks to new ways of utilising airspace by reducing holding stacks and get direct routes installed instead of artificial diversions over us.
Noisy jets coming in and from four London airports, for both passenger, freight and sometimes military services - often flying in both directions at the same time - have taken away Suffolk’s peace and solitude.

“We have to suffer some jet noise, but we don’t want to be a magnet for all of it”

Dr Coffey said: "I am pleased that our programme of airspace modernisation will, in time, minimise the noise impact for residents of south-east Suffolk, by ensuring that aircraft climb steadily to a cruising altitude and descend continuously, thereby removing the need for holding stacks - which also helps minimise emissions."