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Stansted begins consultations

June 12, 2009

Stansted Airport has today launched a 16-week public consultation programme in its efforts to reduce noise pollution over the next five years.

The airport, the UK's third busiest, will hold a series of noise briefings during August and September in local towns and villages affected by aircraft noise. The consultation process - named the Noise Action Plan - will run until Friday, October 2.

Stewart Wingate, Stansted Airport's managing director, said: "This will be one of the most comprehensive public consultations on aircraft noise ever carried out by Stansted Airport. We want to know what people think of our draft plans for the next five years before we finalise them for submission to the Government later in 2009.

"Our challenge is to manage the issue of aircraft noise in a pro-active, professional yet sensitive way as we understand it can be a real concern for our local community. We're also determined to take appropriate actions to reduce and mitigate against aircraft noise where we can - this is the right and responsible thing to do."

EU and UK environmental regulations require that the airport publish a noise action plan which aims to manage and, where possible, reduce the impact of noise from the various aircraft types in operation.

Stansted's head of environment, Dr Andy Jefferson, added: "Here at Stansted we pride ourselves on the pro-active way the airport monitors and reports on both aircraft noise and track-keeping. We've also worked hard to successfully reduce the impact of aircraft noise as we've developed and grown the airport, and today we have one of the most modern aircraft fleets of any UK airport.

"Aircraft are 75% quieter than they were 30 years ago, and the industry has already set itself the target of a further 50% reduction in 2000 levels by 2020 but we know there is always more we can strive to do."

Copies of the action plan and feedback questionnaires are available online at www.stanstedairport.com.

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