§ Mrs. Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the annual figures for the number of aircraft flying over Lewisham, East to and from Heathrow for each of the past five years. [2129]
§ Mr. BowisThe information is not held in the form requested. Radar track recordings are not normally retained by National Air Traffic Services Ltd. for longer than 30 days. Heathrow Airport Ltd. holds information on aircraft tracks beyond a radius of 12 miles from the airport for the first 10 months of 1996 only, but analysis of this would incur disproportionate cost.
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§ Mrs. PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes there have been recently to the flight path of aircraft flying to and from Heathrow over Lewisham, East. [2202]
§ Mr. BowisThe main departure route from Heathrow towards Dover used by Heathrow traffic during easterly operations was last adjusted by one degree on 19 August 1993 to compensate for the accumulated movement of magnetic north since the previous such adjustment made in 1986. There are no fixed routes for landing aircraft. Aircraft normally land and take off into the wind. Lewisham, East is overflown by Heathrow departing traffic during easterly operations, which occur about 25 per cent. of the time during an average year, and by Heathrow landing traffic during westerly operations, which occur about 75 per cent. of the time during an average year. Lewisham, East is situated between the holding stack, located since 1971 over the Biggin Hill and Orpington area, and the extended runway centre lines followed by landing traffic on final approach to Heathrow during westerly operations. It is also overflown during easterly operations by traffic landing at London City airport.