Leeds Bradford: Airport Application To Amend Night Flying Quota Methodology

[Len Fish]

I just hope you’re right as the “fors” are still stuck on 161 whilst the “numpties” have risen to 788 as of 10.05 18/09. Where’s George Michael when you need him?

 

[dmrodgers]

I just hope you’re right as the “fors” are still stuck on 161 whilst the “numpties” have risen to 788 as of 10.05 18/09. Where’s George Michael when you need him?

There is definitely something not right with the scores on the doors. My family submitted 4 applications of support on Tuesday of this week yet non of their comments are appearing on the portal. I can't see Leeds City Council 'fudging' the numbers but something somewhere is not right. I now in the process of emailing them as to why my four family members are not showing and why when I hear cases of people submitting pro support for the airport plans these do not appear in the count. I know it is not a first past the post like an election to decide the issue but it is genuinely worrying if people who support the application their voices are not being heard or recorded.

 

[Aviador]

There is definitely something not right with the scores on the doors. My family submitted 4 applications of support on Tuesday of this week yet non of their comments are appearing on the portal. I can't see Leeds City Council 'fudging' the numbers but something somewhere is not right. I now in the process of emailing them as to why my four family members are not showing and why when I hear cases of people submitting pro support for the airport plans these do not appear in the count. I know it is not a first past the post like an election to decide the issue but it is genuinely worrying if people who support the application their voices are not being heard or recorded.

I'm happy with it looking wrong so long as those who have voiced their support are all recognised at the end.

 

[HX3]

I’m not happy with it looking wrong. @dmrodgers shouldn’t have to email to check why theirs and their family support isn’t showing. Those extra emails are an inconvenience to submitters and extra admin time and cost to the council to reply.

 

[White Heather]

There is definitely something not right with the scores on the doors. My family submitted 4 applications of support on Tuesday of this week yet non of their comments are appearing on the portal. I can't see Leeds City Council 'fudging' the numbers but something somewhere is not right. I now in the process of emailing them as to why my four family members are not showing and why when I hear cases of people submitting pro support for the airport plans these do not appear in the count. I know it is not a first past the post like an election to decide the issue but it is genuinely worrying if people who support the application their voices are not being heard or recorded.

Were these support submissions via the airport video link, or via the traditional method using the Planning Portal?

 

[dmrodgers]

Were these support submissions via the airport video link, or via the traditional method using the Planning Portal?

My four family members support submission were using the traditional method using the planning portal, all four got a confirmation email back from Leeds City Council but do not appear anywhere on the portal. Looking at the support numbers on the portal I also suspect, but can't confirm this, that these four are not included in the total numbers supporting the application as this figure shown has hardly moved in the past 4 days. Let's hope these get uploaded together with all the other support emails and letters soon.

 

[White Heather]

My four family members support submission were using the traditional method using the planning portal, all four got a confirmation email back from Leeds City Council but do not appear anywhere on the portal. Looking at the support numbers on the portal I also suspect, but can't confirm this, that these four are not included in the total numbers supporting the application as this figure shown has hardly moved in the past 4 days. Let's hope these get uploaded together with all the other support emails and letters soon.

Thanks. I think it is clear that the council are loading the opposition in to the portal but less so with support. They will have to do so soon enough. Whether or not they are prioritising opposition, as the figures suggest, I couldn't say, but I know they log them manually, which is rather inefficient and sums up the council frankly. It feels to me as though the airport link has highlighted that inefficiency and slowed down the portal logging process.

Just in case anyone is wondering whether or not the video produced by LBA has hit the mark, I am advised that up to now, it has been viewed 33,000 times, generating a large number of comments to LCC, although the exact number isn't known.
(Yet).

Perhaps the council are still counting? I wouldn't mind a bet that they have one person dealing with all if it.

 

[Len Fish]

I just hope you’re right as the “fors” are still stuck on 161 whilst the “numpties” have risen to 788 as of 10.05 18/09. Where’s George Michael when you need him?

Since posting the above the number of objections has risen by 61 (as at 18.30 18/09) without a single increase in the numbers for so as WH says it is pretty clear those supporting are currently, for whatever reason, not being counted.

 

[Aviador]

The trouble with the airports online form is it is another click away from their website and people just don't have time. It needs to be on the homepage of the LBA website!

In digital marketing and user experience (UX) design, each additional click or step introduced between a landing page and the final goal causes a measurable drop-off in conversions. This drop-off is often referred to as friction or the funnel leak rate.​

Average Drop-Off Rate Per Click​

On average, each extra click in a sign-up or checkout process results in a 10% to 20% drop-off in user retention.​

For complex or high-friction actions (such as long registration forms, multi-step checkouts, or unexpected external links), the drop-off rate per additional step can reach 30% to 50%.​

Key Drivers of Click Drop-Off​

Page Load Time: If a click navigates the user to a new page, load time is critical. A delay of just 1 to 3 seconds increases the bounce probability by 32% (according to Google benchmark data).​

Cognitive Load: Asking users to make multiple decisions or read through several sequential pages increases fatigue, leading them to abandon the task.​

Form Length: Reducing the number of required fields or steps in a web form can improve completion rates significantly—often by 20% to 120% depending on the baseline complexity.​

Optimization Strategies​

Minimize Steps: Direct users to their destination with as few interactions as possible (e.g., using a single page checkout or floating quick-submission forms).​

Eliminate Off-Ramps: Remove distracting secondary links, social media icons, or navigation headers from focused landing pages so users stay on the conversion path.​

Streamline Mobile Flows: On mobile devices, where input friction is higher, keep action buttons large and forms brief to prevent higher bounce rates.​

To boost participation and build a solid paper trail, the airport should be deploying staff with iPads directly into the departure area to assist passing travelers with completing the form online. Staff could ask each passenger for permission to print a copy of their completed form for official records. Gathering these physical documents creates a tangible, undeniable stack of evidence to prove the full scale of passenger support to decision makers.

 

[JRP]

the airport should also have something up airside in the terminal with a QR code to scan to indirect to the web site and have a few friendly staff members there trying to get people to sign the support

 

[White Heather]

The trouble with the airports online form is it is another click away from their website and people just don't have time. It needs to be on the homepage of the LBA website!

In digital marketing and user experience (UX) design, each additional click or step introduced between a landing page and the final goal causes a measurable drop-off in conversions. This drop-off is often referred to as friction or the funnel leak rate.​

Average Drop-Off Rate Per Click​

On average, each extra click in a sign-up or checkout process results in a 10% to 20% drop-off in user retention.​

For complex or high-friction actions (such as long registration forms, multi-step checkouts, or unexpected external links), the drop-off rate per additional step can reach 30% to 50%.​

Key Drivers of Click Drop-Off​

Page Load Time: If a click navigates the user to a new page, load time is critical. A delay of just 1 to 3 seconds increases the bounce probability by 32% (according to Google benchmark data).​

Cognitive Load: Asking users to make multiple decisions or read through several sequential pages increases fatigue, leading them to abandon the task.​

Form Length: Reducing the number of required fields or steps in a web form can improve completion rates significantly—often by 20% to 120% depending on the baseline complexity.​

Optimization Strategies​

Minimize Steps: Direct users to their destination with as few interactions as possible (e.g., using a single page checkout or floating quick-submission forms).​

Eliminate Off-Ramps: Remove distracting secondary links, social media icons, or navigation headers from focused landing pages so users stay on the conversion path.​

Streamline Mobile Flows: On mobile devices, where input friction is higher, keep action buttons large and forms brief to prevent higher bounce rates.​

To boost participation and build a solid paper trail, the airport should be deploying staff with iPads directly into the departure area to assist passing travelers with completing the form online. Staff could ask each passenger for permission to print a copy of their completed form for official records. Gathering these physical documents creates a tangible, undeniable stack of evidence to prove the full scale of passenger support to decision makers.

I agree on your last point and have said this on here and to LBA management. Only this week I pointed out that within the airport there is a captive audience with time to kill. It is an opportunity.

However, there is a bright yellow note at the top of the LBA website homepage with a link , so it is there after a fashion. It was the first thing I saw. It is also the first thing you see if you try to access the LBA Facebook group. I assume it's the same elsewhere on t'internet.

Based on what I am told, and what I have posted already, there isn't a problem getting people to view the video (33k and counting), and this has generated more than enough supportive responses with more being generated daily. The problem, right now, is that the council are not logging them in the portal, so we cannot see the real numbers. The question is why? Why continue logging objections whilst support is held in storage? Whose decision is that? It paints a false picture.

The reality is, of course, that it doesn't really matter. What matters, is that every single person who supports LBA has their voice heard and the exact numbers are reported to the plans panel within the Planning Officer's report. Anything less is probably illegal.

There is 1 week to go. Opposition seems likely to top 1k. Wouldn't it be good to find next Friday, that support has eclipsed that good and proper?

I suspect that the level of interest in this has taken the council by surprise and has caused chaos. If anyone has expressed support via the airport's video link and has NOT had an acknowledgement from the council, that suggests to me that they are trying to process more than they are equipped to deal with. It may well be that the true figures are not apparent until after the consultation period has ended, when the council have the time to catch up.