Campaigners step up Belfast City runway fight
16.06.09
Campaigners have stepped up their fight to have an extension to the runway at the Belfast City Airport rejected, with publication of the findings of a new survey on aircraft noise, the Belfast Telegraph reports. Residents living under the flight path also challenged Environment Minister Sammy Wilson to swap homes for a day - saying they were confident he would think twice about allowing the extension if he agreed.
Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) released the results of a survey that shows 78% of residents questioned said aircraft noise affected their sleep and 75% said they often had to stop talking when a plane flew overhead. Almost half of the respondents with children - 46% - said their children were not getting enough sleep because of aircraft noise. In total 91% said they were concerned about the proposed runway extension, with 75% saying they were very concerned and opposed to the plan.
Fiona McKinley, spokeswoman for BCAW, said the results provide a wake-up call for the minister. She told the newspaper: ‘The message from the streets of east and south Belfast and from Holywood is clear - people have had enough. The Environment Minister must either reject the airport's misguided extension plan out of hand - or at the very least hold a full public inquiry into it.’
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book belfast airport hotel or belfast airport car park at the lowest price click on these links to belfast airport car parking and belfast airport hotel price comparison pages.
