I continue to raise issues that impact local communities across the East Hampshire constituency, including concerns about flight traffic and noise at Farnborough Airport as well as concerns regarding motorbike noise along some key routes within the constituency and proposals affecting the local train network.
Stopping the speedsters
At the end of 2023, East Hampshire District Council made funding available to parish councils for the installation of autospeedwatch cameras in village 'hotspots'. These cameras, which come in sets of 3, take an average speed from a passing car to help identify areas where speeding is a real problem. They can also identify serial offenders. This information can then be shared with the police to help them deploy their traffic offices to the right places at the right time. So far, 18 parish councils have taken up the funding offer with a number being in place and operational already. This follows the successful scheme already established in Beech by Councillor Tony Ransley. More information can be found at: AutoSpeedWatch
Trains - changes to ticket offices
Last year, South Western Railway (SWR) launched a consultation into changes to ticket offices across its network of stations. SWR announces public consultation on station change proposals (southwesternrailway.com)
I received a lot of correspondence from constituents about this consultation, many of whom were concerned about the impact of these proposals on vulnerable groups. The consultation closed on 1st September 2023. My response can be found below.
On 31 October 2023, the Transport Minister, Huw Merriman MP, announced that, following the consultation and extensive discussions with accessibility and passenger groups, the proposals on ticket offices will not proceed. The Minister has now asked industry to withdraw its proposals, with the expectation being that ticket offices will no longer be in line for closure.
Farnborough airport - proposals for growth
Although the airport, which is primarily used for business travel, is not based in East Hampshire, there are departure routes or 'swathes' that cross over parts of the constituency, which can cause aircraft noise disturbance to those living underneath them. There are also concerns about the air quality impacts of arriving or departing aircraft on the communities living closeby. I take a keen interest in any developments at the airport, particularly those that would see any additional flights using these departure routes.
Pic: Damian with a representative from Lasham Gliding Society
Adding capacity at the airport
In September 2023, Farnborough Airport consulted on plans to:
- Increase annual flights from 50,000 to 70,000 per year.
- Increase non weekday flights (weekends and bank holidays) from 8,900 to 18,000 per year.
- Extend operating hours on weekends and bank holidays from 8am-8am to 7am - 9pm.
- Increase the weight limit for aircraft using Farnborough.
- Create a new sustainability fund for the local community.
Full details can be found here.
Following the consultation, the airport operator submitted a formal planning application to Rushmoor Borough Council to expand the airport along the lines set out in the original consultation (although the plans to extend operating hours at weekends has now been scrapped). As part of the planning process, Rushmoor BC has invited views on these plans. The window for submitting comments closed on 17 December 2023 and as yet no decisions have been taken. My response to both the consultation and the planning application can be found below.
Airspace Change Proposals
Farnborough Airport began work on an Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) as far back as 2014, with a view to introducing a new airspace design near the airport. After several consultations, the ACP was eventually approved by the CAA in July 2018,
Lasham Gliding Society applied for a Judicial Review of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) decision in October 2018, which was ruled on by the High Court in August 2019. Their decision was not to uphold the JR, with the implementation of the ACP going ahead in February 2020.
Throughout the consultation period, I continued to engage with local stakeholders, including the CAA, representing the concerns of local residents and communities.
Part of the engagement with the CAA and the airport was to seek greater clarity on the proposed change in flightpaths and the potential impact this may have on communities in terms of being overflown, and at what height.
The matrix below was put together by TAG (the owners of Farnborough Airport at the time) and gives more information for the towns and villages most affected within East Hampshire. The chart includes details of the current arrival and departure flightpaths, and heights they're flown at, compared to the new flightpaths and heights proposed in the ACP.
A Post Implementation Review of the ACP was due to take place in late 2020, but had been postponed due to the impact of the pandemic. The 12 month period of data gathering for the Review was completed by March 2023.
Details from the PIR were published by the CAA in May 2023, followed by a feedback 'window' for comments to be made by stakeholders and members of the public. My response to this request for feedback can be found below. The CAA was due to publish its final report by the end of August 2023 but it has not appeared yet (this is now anticipated to be published later in 2024).
For the latest on the PIR, visit the CAA's website: Farnborough Airport airspace change proposal | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
Farnborough Airport has proposed a second ACP to address constraints with the current performance of inbound and outbound traffic flows to/from the airport. More information is available at: https://airspacechange.caa.co.uk/PublicProposalArea?pID=497
Other interested parties:
The Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee (FACC) is the forum in which the management of Farnborough Aerodrome interacts with local public agencies, residential communities and with Airport users on a range of environmental and other airport issues. More information is available at:
The Farnborough Noise Group (FNG) is a local association that seeks to represent the interests and concerns of local residents regarding traffic and noise from Farnborough Airport.
Traffic Noise
Noise from motorbikes is a concern for residents who live close to routes used by bikers, including along the A32 and A272.
I have continued to work alongside Donna Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Hampshire Constabulary and Hampshire County Council to consider ways to reduce the impact that is effective and sustainable.
In May 2023, average speed cameras were installed along stretches of the A32 and A272 in order to address the long standing issue of excessive vehicle noise that impacts residents who live close by. Along with other road policing tactics, it is hoped that this will reduce the blight on an area that is known and valued for its peace and tranquility.
At the time I said: “It’s fantastic to see the cameras appearing on the A32 and A272. Sadly, we are all too aware of the horrendous consequences of speeding, particularly on country roads. Excessive noise from speeding vehicles can be a real blight on people’s lives and destroy the tranquillity of the countryside. Those who choose to drive or ride recklessly, with little thought for other road users or the communities living close by, will hopefully think twice now that the cameras are in operation.”
Click here for more details: https://www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/new-speed-cameras-for-the-a32-and-a272-installed-following-police-commissioners-677000-investment-to-make-roads-safer
For information on the local Communities Against Noise and Speed group (CANS), please go to: https://www.canshampshire.co.uk/community/communities-against-noise-and…
A local trial using acoustic cameras was completed in 2019 and the Department for Transport has now extended the trial to other areas across the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/noise-camera-trials-to-detect-rowdy-…; We are awaiting an update from the Department.
