Voting Guide Meerhoven

Question 6: Development of Eindhoven Airport

What is your view on the development of the combined number of flights of Eindhoven Airport and Eindhoven Air Base in relation to the various forms of nuisance for local residents (in a broad sense) and to the various forms of environmental pollution?

	GroenLinks wants less nuisance from the Airport and therefore wants fewer flights. We were pleased with the steps announced in Pieter van Geel’s Eindhoven pilot case. But the impact on local residents and the climate is simply still too great. In every decision about Eindhoven Airport, the improvement of the living environment and the climate is paramount for GroenLinks. The number of flight movements is frozen at 40,500. We want to work towards a reduction of the number of flight movements around Eindhoven Airport. We believe this is necessary because of the noise contour of Eindhoven Airport in order to reduce noise pollution for local residents. In addition, we want the reduction of CO2 emissions from flights to become a condition in addition to noise reduction. Fines should be introduced for aircraft that arrive late and these should be deposited in the quality of life fund. This can be used to invest in the quality of life for people living in the vicinity of Eindhoven Airport. The penalty regulation must also be adjusted, so that penalties will apply from 23:30 instead of the current 24:00.
	We are sticking to the starting points of the report “Opnieuw Verbonden” (the Van Geel report). From 2022 onwards, we will no longer aim for a maximum number of flights but for a 30% reduction in noise pollution in 2030 compared to 2019. And together with local residents, we will closely monitor the progress of the agreements made.
	We follow the advice of the van Geel committee in this. In our opinion, the Airport is of great added value to the city and our region, but there must be a good balance between the benefits of the Airport and the burden on the environment and the reduction of nuisance for the surrounding area. We therefore follow Van Geel’s advice on the basis of climate, environment and reduced noise pollution through quieter aircraft and a freeze on the number of flights.
	The SP is against the expansion of Eindhoven Airport. We also want no flights before 7 am and after 11 pm. This will reduce the nuisance.
	The Ouderen Appel – hart voor Eindhoven recognises the objections regularly expressed by the Beraad Vlieghinder Moet Minder (BVM2) and is committed to a realistic adjustment that puts the liveability of the neighbourhood for the residents first.
	50PLUS has also been closely involved in the creation of van Geel’s plans for the airport. The standards set in 2019 must not be exceeded in any way. Quality of life is a priority for 50PLUS.
	ChristenUnie Eindhoven will not respond to the questions that you have put forward, for the fundamental reason that in this day and age – prior to the elections – you can seduce politicians into making any statement if that will bring in votes in his/her eyes. We are in the council on the oath that we have been elected there without ‘charge or consultation’ and committing ourselves in advance to positions of interest groups feels to us contrary to that principle.
	The Patenpartij does not want any increase in the number of flight movements. We want to encourage developments towards cleaner and quieter aircraft and will bring together the parties involved (including local residents) to make this happen.
	Volt believes that for short flights, the train is preferable and that paraffin should be taxed fairly. Furthermore, we are not against expanding the number of flights, but against increasing the nuisance. So more flights with more modern (quieter, cleaner) planes is not something we want to rule out.
	FVD believes that the inconvenience caused by Eindhoven Airport is relatively small. We also support the expansion of Eindhoven Airport because it allows employment and the local economy to grow.
	Eindhoven Airport causes major problems for local residents, animals, nature and the environment. Locally, for example, the airport causes noise nuisance, emissions of nitrogen and poor air quality, which is detrimental to the quality of life. But Eindhoven Airport also contributes globally to dangerous global warming. The Party for the Animals does not want any cooperation whatsoever with the expansion of Eindhoven Airport and wants to see a reduction in the number of flights. Eindhoven will lobby for and facilitate better train connections. Eindhoven Airport will no longer fly to destinations that can be reached by train within six hours.
	In general, it should be the case that the number of flights is not the decisive criterion for the development of Eindhoven Airport, but rather the continuous reduction of nuisance in noise and the environment from the total number of flights.

The following parties did not respond: