Heathrow and aircraft noise issues

Heathrow and aircraft noise issues

'Operational Freedoms' trial starts at Heathrow on November 1st 2011

The Government's South East Airports Taskforce has recommended that certain 'operational freedoms' are trialled at Heathrow as part of the Taskforce's remit of investigating how airports can be made 'better, not bigger'.

Two trials are planned: the first will run from 1st November 2011 until 29th February 2012. The second will run from 1st July to 30th September 2012.

Although the trials do not include proposals that will increase the total number of flights at Heathrow, which remain capped at 480,000 a year, they will change the way the runways are used. Residents may notice that the predictable periods of relief from aircraft noise that runway alternation usually provides will be interrupted by aircraft using the 'wrong' runway.

BAA has delivered information leaflets on the trial to all properties in Fulham under the 2 main arrivals flight paths. This contains details of the trials and includes BAA's contact information if residents have specific queries about the trials or wish to log a complaint.

BAA can be contacted on 0800 344 844 or e-mail noise_complaints@baa.com.

Further details on the trials, including explanatory video, can be found at www.heathrowairport.com/noise.  

Daily flight information during the trial will be made available and updated here: http://heathrowtrial.com.

A BAA representative will be attending the council's Transport Summit on Tuesday 8th November to give a brief presentation on the trials and will be available to answer questions. Further details on the Summit can be found here.

3rd Runway Update

The Coalition Government has announced that it has cancelled the previous Government's plans for a 3rd runway at Heathrow. A summary of the Government's position in relation to Heathrow can be found here: www.dft.gov.uk/news/statements/villiers-20100907.  

Draft Noise Action Plan for Heathrow published for consultation

BAA Heathrow Airport has published a draft Noise Action Plan outlining how they intend to manage the impacts of aircraft noise at Heathrow from 2010 to 2015. Contact Heathrow Community Relations on 0208 745 5791 for information about how to obtain a copy.

The Action Plan focuses on noise from current operations and any expected developments upto 2015. It does not include details on specific actions relating to a 3rd runway and 6th terminal, which if built, will not be operational until after 2015.

The consultation closes on 5th October 2009. 

NAP Update

Heathrow's Noise Action Plan was adopted in May 2011 and can be found here.

15/01/09 The Government has announced its decision on expansion at Heathrow

The Government has confirmed its support for construction of a 3rd runway and a 6th Terminal, but has decided to keep runway alternation on the 2 existing runways rather than introducing mixed mode. The new runway could be operational by 2015 to 2020.

Further details of the decision and the Department for Transport's report on the consultation responses can be found on the DfT's website.

Background

The Government's consultation on 'Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport' closed on 27th February 2008. The council submitted a detailed response to the expansion proposals, see pdf linked below. We also delivered over 4,000 postcard responses returned by residents, 93% of which were opposed to further expansion. The Government is expected to make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation in the summer.  

» H&F council response to “Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport” consultation document

As part of the consultation process, the council held a public meeting on Tuesday 12th February at Hammersmith Town Hall to discuss the impact that expansion of Heathrow airport could have on the borough. Over 700 residents were in the audience to hear presentations from Lord Soley, Campaign Director of Future Heathrow  and Nic Ferriday representing HACAN Clearskies .

» Further information on the public meeting 

» A summary report on the expansion proposals and the council's concerns 

» Maps of the proposed new flightpaths over the borough 

The 2M Group has also published a leaflet  on the expansion and its potential impacts. 

Heathrow expansion proposals

On 22 November 2007 the Department for Transport (DfT) published a consultation on ‘Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport’. 

The consultation sets out proposals for the development of Heathrow Airport over the next 20 years or more and states that the Government supports the further development of Heathrow by adding a third runway and making better use of the existing runways. The proposals would increase capacity at Heathrow from the existing 480,000 movements per year to up to 702,000 movements per year by 2030.  

The main proposals for the development of Heathrow which are considered in the consultation document are set out below:

Construction of a third runway

The consultation document proposes the construction of a third runway, to come into operation by 2015-2020. The new runway would be used for both arriving and departing aircraft.

Additional terminal facilities

Additional terminal facilities are proposed to support the third runway. The proposed terminal will cater for approximately 35 million passengers per year, serving a mix of long and short haul operations. 

Mixed mode 

The consultation document proposes the introduction of mixed mode operation to make more efficient use of the two existing runways. If the existing 480,000 movements cap is removed, this could allow up to an additional 60,000 movements on the 2 existing runways by 2016. If a third runway was constructed, mixed mode operations would cease once the third runway became operational. 

The consultation seeks views on three different mixed mode arrangements:

• Full mixed mode, which would operate throughout the day
• Partial mixed mode, which would be limited to certain times of the day, allowing current runway alternation arrangements to remain in place for part of the day
• Mixed mode within the existing planning cap (480,000 movements per annum)                           

Other operational arrangements

In addition, the consultation document considers the merits of changes to the following current operational procedures at Heathrow:

• Westerly preference (allows aircraft to land over London in light easterly winds rather than switching to landing on the other side of the airport) 
• Cranford agreement (prevents departures off the northern runway when easterly operations are in use)
• Making the current trial of night time runway rotation a permanent arrangement  
• Runway alternation for arrivals between 06:00 and 07:00                            

Surface access

The consultation document states that the introduction of a third runway would require improvements to public transport access and contains some initial proposals regarding the surface access arrangements that may be necessary to support a three runway airport, including Air Track. However, detailed work on this issue would need to be carried out by the airport operator in advance of preparing a planning application. 

Background

Hammersmith & Fulham is one of a number of boroughs directly affected by Heathrow Airport. One of the main impacts is caused by the noise from aircraft as they fly over the borough on their final approach to the airport.

Although advances in technology have ensured that individual aircraft have become quieter over the last 20 -30 years, the benefits of these improvements have been lost due to the large increase in the number of flights. In 2005, there were about 470,000 aircraft movements at Heathrow, many of which flew over the borough, and the numbers are still growing.

Many people living under the flight path to Heathrow are annoyed by aircraft noise, particularly at night when the noise can be particularly disturbing.

The council does not have any formal powers to take action against individual aircraft for causing any noisy disturbance. However, we do respond to all of the consultations conducted by the Government and the airport operator, BAA, where their proposals could affect Hammersmith & Fulham residents.

The council recently joined with other local authorities to form the 2M Group  which is concerned about the environmental impacts of further expansion at Heathrow. 

Night flights

Night flying restrictions are used at Heathrow to control the impact that night flights have on people living next to the airport and under its flight paths. The night time movement limits will remain unchanged until 2012, which means on average there will continue to be 16 flights a night between 11:30pm and 6:00am.

The council submitted responses to both stages of the consultation which can be viewed here (Stage 1 response ) and here (Stage 2 response ).

National Air Traffic Service (NATS) consultation

In 2008, NATS has been consulting on proposed changes to the use of airspace over London and the south east. Most of the proposals do not concern flightpaths that impact on Hammersmith & Fulham, although small changes to one of the easterly departure routes from Heathrow may change the path taken by aircraft flying over parts of west London, including the northern part of the borough.

The changes should mean that aircraft fly on a route slightly further north than the current route and no detrimental impact is expected for local residents. None of the proposals affect the landing flightpaths over Fulham.  

Heathrow interim master plan

BAA has published a draft Interim Master Plan for Heathrow. The Plan sets out the potential plans for Heathrow in the medium and longer term and considers the potential impacts on the airports key stakeholders, including local residents.

It includes sections on:

• The statutory/regulatory context
• Heathrow's economic importance
• The airport in 2005
• Forecasts
• A development strategy (within existing limits)
• Surface access strategy (within existing limits)
• Additional runway capacity
• Environmental impacts and mitigation strategy (within existing limits)                                      

A full report on the Interim Master Plan was presented to the Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel in September 2005 and the council has submitted its consultation response.

Heathrow Airport Interim Master Plan

Complaining about aircraft noise or helicopter noise.

We cannot deal with noise from aircraft (including helicopter movements). The Civil Aviation Authority has exclusive powers to deal with complaints in respect of aircraft. 

For further information and advice contact.

Focal Point for Aviation-Related Environmental Complaints 
Directorate of Airspace Policy 
CAA House 
45-59 Kingsway 
London WC2B 6TE 

Tel: 020 7453 6525/6524 
E-mail:  james.walker@dap.caa.co.uk or ian.wrathall@dap.caa.co.uk 

In addition, the following web link leads to 14 CAA Environmental Information Sheets concerning aviation that you and your Borough's residents may find of use (London Helicopter Procedures are detailed in Sheet 7) www.caa.co.uk/environmentalinformation  

Visit http://www.londonheliport.co.uk/  for further information on the London Heliport in Battersea, including information on the controls that are in place to minimise the noise impacts from helicopters using the heliport facilities. A Consultative Group has recently been formed and started meeting in 2007. 

The Flight Evaluation Office at Heathrow is able to provide more information on the aircraft landing and taking off at the airport and can also investigate any specific complaints about aircraft noise. They can be contacted on freephone 0800 344 844 from 8.30 to 16.30 (Monday to Friday) and their email address is: 

noise_complaints@baa.com

They can be contacted at the following address:

Flight Evaluation Office
BAA Heathrow
2nd Floor, Building 820
Heathrow Airport
Hayes
Middlesex
UB3 5AP

Links

2M Group - www.2mgroup.org.uk 

DfT – www.dft.gov.uk 

Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (SASIG) - www.sasig.org.uk

BAA – www.baa.com 

Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee (HACC) – www.lhr-acc.org 

HACAN Clearskies – www.hacan.org.uk 

Further information

If you need any further information on our position in relation to aircraft noise, please contact Paul Baker in the environment department on 020 8753 3431 or email paul.baker@lbhf.gov.uk.