TWO Whitecrook campaigners fighting the health effects of excessive aircraft noise above their homes have been recognised in the Scottish Parliament.

Just as Holyrood was winding down before the election and as Gil Paterson prepares to retire as Clydebank’s MSP, he put in a motion recognising the work of Tam Brady and Joe Henry.

The motion, submitted on March 24, stated: “That the parliament recognises the contribution of Thomas Brady and Joseph Henry in tackling the health and social effects of aircraft noise on their community of Whitecrook, Clydebank; understands that Tam and Joe have worked tirelessly for many years to highlight the health and social impacts of persistent aircraft noise, and to seek that these issues are recognised and addressed in a consistent and transparent way by the authorities; notes that Tam and Joe were responsible for setting up the local campaign group Whitecrook Area Noise Association (WANA) to raise the issue of aircraft noise problems for communities under flightpaths; further recognises their wider contribution to improving their community, and thanks them for their work in this regard.”

A few days earlier, and with cross-party support, Mr Paterson recognised the work of the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN), which WANA works with.

His motion promoted their latest reporting looking at the future of regulating noise from airport flightpaths in the UK.

As recently reported by the Post, Mr Paterson said he would continue to push for progress on the long-running bid for noise mitigation efforts in Whitecrook and elsewhere, plagued by noise levels significantly above recommendations from the World Health Organisation.

Glasgow Airport has committed £1 million towards efforts to insulate homes from noise, though there remains a dispute over how many hundreds of properties should be covered.

In his final motions before retiring as the area’s MSP, Mr Paterson also praised the work of the Recycle Room in Clydebank, UEFA recognition for Bankies Access Work for Disabled People, the Cochno Stone and Faifley Rocks Project in Faifley, and the contribution of Rhona Young to Old Kilpatrick.