Contact your politicians
The single most important thing you can do to help further our campaign – apart from signing up as a supporter of BCAW – is to write to your local politicians. They’re much more likely to act on the issue of aircraft noise if they believe lots of their voters are actually bothered about it.
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Here are some tips for writing to politicians if you want to make sure your letter or E-mail is actually read and is persuasive!
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Keep it short – you need more than one sentence, but a few paragraphs are usually enough
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Keep it dispassionate – in other words, don’t get emotive, highly subjective or use CAPITAL LETTERS – you’re likely to be dismissed as a ‘crank’
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Do include a few sentences summarising the problems that the planes cause for you – whether they’re disturbing your sleep, alarming your children or interrupting your conversations
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Do ask the politician what you’d like him/her to do on your behalf – urge the Environment Minister to introduce tougher noise controls? Persuade your local council to object to the airport’s noise plans? Raise the issue in the Assembly?
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If you don’t receive a reply within a couple of weeks, politely follow up by telephoning the politician’s office, checking the letter/E-mail was received and requesting a reply – you’re a voter, so you deserve a response!
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The easiest way to contact your local politicians is by using the quick and free ‘Write To Them’ service which can be accessed here.
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You can also find contact details for your local politicians at the following links:
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MLAs (at the Northern Ireland Assembly): https://bit.ly/11rxFo9
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Belfast City Council councillors: https://bit.ly/Belfastcouncillors
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North Down Borough Council councillors: https://bit.ly/NorthDowncouncillors
To sign up as a supporter of BCAW, click here
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To make a complaint about an aircraft noise, pollution or safety matter, click here.