Councillors in Braintree have backed proposals to increase the amount of aircraft using Stansted Airport, despite concerns about inadequate public transport.

As part of a consultation by the Government, Braintree District Council has raised no objections to plans to increase the number of passenger aircraft movements from 120,000 to 185,000 a year.

But at a planning meeting, councillors called for better public transport and quick action to improve the A120 to meet the airport's expansion.

"The members were mainly concerned that as the airport grows we must make sure as much as possible is done to encourage people to use public transport and to encourage BAA to support improvements," said planning officer, Paul Munson.

In a report, he said links from Braintree would have to be improved so people could benefit from new airport jobs.

Stansted Airport currently employs 7,000 people, only five per cent of them from Braintree.

Mr Munson said parishes which suffer most from aircraft noise, like Finchingfield, Wethersfield and Great Bardfield, have been told by BAA that revised routings could mean a decrease in noise.

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