Night
flights ruling could come before Christmas
A ruling that could finally spell the end of night flights may now
be delivered before Christmas following this morning's appeal hearing
in the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg.
The UK
Government's bid to overturn last October's landmark judgment that
night flights violated human rights was heard by seventeen judges
sitting in the Grand Chamber.
The case
had been brought originally by eight west London residents. Wandsworth
Council had helped to raise £100,000 towards the residents'
legal costs for the two hearings from local authorities affected by
early morning arrivals at Heathrow.
Council
leader Edward Lister said that after today's three hour hearing campaigners
were more confident than ever of getting the right result:
"The
message from Strasbourg is that despite being faced with the full
might of the UK Government and their legal team headed by the Attorney
General himself the residents' case held up superbly.
"Having
won the day last time round nothing has happened today to shake our
belief that the Government has got it wrong on night flights.
"It
could even be that we will get a decision much sooner than expected.
For anyone living under the flightpath who is woken at 4.30am by the
first arrival of the day this could turn out to be the best Christmas
present ever."
13 November
2002
Richmond
first with night flights cash
31.05.02
Wandsworth
makes cash call to save night flights ruling May 2002
Residents
face fresh night flights challenge April 2002