Campaigners back moves to reduce Heathrow stacking

Campaigners today backed moves to cut the number of planes stacking over the capital before landing at Heathrow.

Earl Attlee, the Government's transport spokesman in the Lords, told peers how technological developments had paved the way to take more planes directly into Heathrow. "The introduction of new on-board and ground-based systems will... provide controllers with much better opportunities to guide aircraft without first placing them in a stack," he said.

Planes are diverted to stacks over Epsom, Biggin Hill, Chesham and Epping. Chairman of HACAN ClearSkies John Stewart said: "Ending stacking would be a win-win situation for both the airlines who would save fuel and for residents because the number of areas affected by noise would be reduced."