Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP has today called on the UK government to urgently rethink its policy on low-flying training in UK air space, and for immediate steps to be taken to tackle the severe health dangers linked to the practise.
Mr Llwyd has urged the UK Government to follow the lead of Germany. In 1996, research by university professor Dr Hartmut Ising was presented to the German government which persuaded them to cease low flying in German airspace on health grounds. The German government also took steps to lessen the noise pollution. Despite this fact, the last UK government refused to concede despite this highly persuasive research.
According to a recent parliamentary question, training across UK air space has increased by 11% since the previous year. It has also been revealed that the UK Government now allows sixteen different countries, including Germany, to use UK airspace to carry out low-flying training at no cost.
Most operational fast-jet training in the UK takes place in Wales, the North of England and Scotland, as these areas offer large areas of unrestricted airspace.
Commenting, Mr Llwyd said:
“We must have an urgent rethink of this situation. More jets than ever before are now being trained and in no way are the people of north and mid Wales being compensated for this.
“In my constituency, a high percentage of those living in Dinas Mawddwy and Llanuwchllyn who were children in primary schools there, now have problems with hearing.
“Research by German Professor Isling proved beyond doubt that when jets fly at low altitudes, it does indeed have a detrimental effect upon an individual’s hearing.
“Professor Ising persuaded the German Government to cease on health grounds.
“Where does the Luftwaffe train their low flying pilots now? Over UK air space. At no cost to them – but at a cost to the hearing of UK taxpayers!
“While the German government will not allow low-flying of this type on its own territory, the UK government is meanwhile perfectly happy for them to use ours.
“When will the UK government stop treating the people of Wales with such contempt and do something about the intrusion and the damage to health?
“The UK government should show the same respect towards people as the German government has shown over this issue.”
