Walloon Brabant asks to join Belgian capital in action to restrict Brussels Airport noise nuisance

The province of Walloon Brabant has asked not be sidelined by a joint action by Brussels’ 19 municipalities to limit aircraft noise disturbance at Brussels Airport.

 Federal MP and mayor of Waterloo, Florence Reuter (MR), addressed the issue last week at the mobility commission of the federal parliament. She specifically questioned the mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) about the latest move by Brussels mayors to reduce the nuisance by aircraft landing and taking off.

“This makes us feel that the minister is only taking into account the nuisances linked to Brussels, while we suffer from the same nuisances,” she said.

As the aircraft also disturb the peace of residents of several municipalities in Walloon Brabant, the mayor of Waterloo would like the province to be associated with the demands by their Brussels counterparts. 

“The problem is the same,” she pointed out, commenting about the choice of runways by air traffic controllers. “Too often, as soon as there is even the slightest bit of wind, we tend to send planes to the backup runways which are the 07 and 01.”

The residents’ association “Runway 01, Enough is enough” is also advocating for all mayors to speak with one voice. 

“If the Brussels municipalities fight like we do over wind standards, everyone will win. But if they demand no more overflights, these will inevitably be moved to the municipalities of Walloon Brabant and in particular Waterloo,” commented its president Charles Sohet.

 Mobility minister Crucke responded in favour of a balance between the economic development of Brussels Airport and the peace and quiet of local residents.

Photo: ©Brussels Airport