From: "Hacan Newsletter" <info@hacan.org.uk>
Subject: Update
Date: July 17th 2012

Dear All, This is a slightly longer Update than normal to take account of important recent developments. It covers: 1. The pressure for expansion 2. The aviation consultation paper, just published 3. The second ‘operational freedoms’ trial John Stewart johnstewart2@btconnect.com Pressure for Expansion Aviation has been much in the news this past month. Much of it has been generated by the relentless campaign by the aviation industry, together with some of its friends in the business community, to pressure the Government into looking against a third runway at Heathrow. The industry, however, has come up with no new arguments. In fact, in an interview in the Evening Standard, Transport Secretary memorably described the industry’s arguments as at the level of a ‘pub-style’ debate: Justine Greening dismissed the lobbying efforts of the aviation industry as ‘a pub-style debate’ HACAN produced its own riposte to the arguments being made for the expansion of Heathrow - Heathrow Expansion Myths and Facts – which we distributed widely to politicians and the media. But the aim of the industry campaign is not to produce detailed evidence but to change the climate of opinion through slick marketing and the repetition of selective statistics. This level of marketing inevitably has an impact. It is thought to be the reason why the Government only issued the first part of its aviation consultation this week (the section dealing with overall policy) with the second part (asking for evidence on whether there is need for more capacity, particularly hub capacity in London and the South East) being postponed until the Autumn. The second part will only seek views. It is not the Government’s intention to specify in it whether it favours expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick, in the Estuary etc. It is thought that George Osborne and the Treasury may want to reopen the 3rd runway debate but they are opposed by the majority of cabinet ministers, and, in particular, Justine Greening and the Liberal Democrats. Labour has now ruled out both a 3rd runway and an Estuary Airport. But we need to stress that the Government has not changed its mind about Heathrow and is highly unlikely to do so in this Parliament. Part 1 Aviation Strategy Released On 12th July the Government released part 1 of its draft aviation strategy for consultation. It covers general policy issues such as noise and climate change. The consultation will close on 31st October 2012. The second part of the consultation will follow in the autumn. It will ask for evidence-based responses as to whether more capacity, particularly, hub capacity is needed in London and the South East. The Government aims to publish its final aviation policy in March 2013. Read the consultation: http://assets.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-35/draft-aviation-policy-framework.pdf HACAN will be submitting a full response to the consultation, but here are some very initial thoughts: 1. The aviation consultation gives no hope to the backers of a third runway at Heathrow. The document restates the fact that it is not Government policy to expand Heathrow. It also stresses that it would be politically very difficult to build a third runway at Heathrow. The document says “proposals for a third runway at Heathrow demonstrate that without sufficient support, particularly at a political level, it would not be possible for any government to deliver new capacity, however hard some shout for it”. It adds “The Government’s opposition to the building of a third runway at Heathrow was, and continues to be, determined in large part by a concern about the scale of the noise impacts at the airport”. 2. It rebuffs the claims by the aviation industry that the UK is losing out because of its airport connections. It says: “The UK is currently one of the best connected countries in the world. We are directly connected to over 360 international destinations. Using available airline seat kilometres as a connectivity metric, only China’s and the USA’s aviation networks are more extensive than the UK’s, and Germany and France are in fifth and eighth place respectively.” 3. There is a welcome recognition that there may be a need to move away from 57 Ldb Leq method of measuring noise as so many people disturbed by noise live outside that contour. “The Government acknowledges research in recent years which suggests that the balance of probability is that people are now relatively more sensitive to aircraft noise than in the past, though there is insufficient evidence to indicate a clear threshold noise level at which it can be said with any certainty that there is an ‘onset of significant community annoyance’. We recognise that people living outside the 57 dB LAeq,16h contour are also affected by aircraft noise and that for some, the annoyance may be significant. Indeed many complaints about aircraft noise come from outside the 57 dB LAeq,16h contour, reflecting the fact that frequency of movements can be a source of annoyance for some people living in areas exposed to lower average levels of noise across the whole day”. It is open to considering more meaningful ways of measuring noise. 4. There is a welcome for need for respite periods. “For those who are already affected by noise, and especially where frequency of movements has increased over time, the Government believes that it is important to give respite wherever feasible. This principle has been a longstanding one at Heathrow, which practises runway alternation in order to offer periods of respite, a principle for which the Government has made clear its strong support”. 5. It has deferred crucial decisions about the level of expansion, if any, may be compatible with climate change considerations: “The Government will continue to support action…….towards a global aviation climate change agreement. While we would have preferred to see more rapid progress, steps are being made in the right direction. Before making a decision on whether the UK should retain a national emissions target for aviation, the Government believes that it is important to have considered the best available evidence, including in relation to the effectiveness of EU Emissions Trading System. The Committee on Climate Change’s advice on whether international aviation (and shipping) emissions should be brought within the Climate Change Act will help to inform our decision about the national aviation target”. The Government still hopes to publish its final aviation policy in March 2013. Trial by Noise From 1st July for 9 months, the Government is to allow BAA to operate aircraft during the half day’s respite from the noise residents have enjoyed since the 1970s. Normally planes landing over London switch planes at 3pm in order to give residents a half day’s break from the noise. During the trials planes will be allowed to fly in on the “wrong” runway in order to ease delays at the airport. This is the second trial. The first lasted for three months last winter. If, as a result of the trials, the Government wants to make the scheme permanent, there will be public consultation on the proposals. The number of complaints received by local residents will be critical factor is the decision whether or not to make the trials permanent. To complain call 0800 344 844 or email noise_complaints@baa.com; Also, if you live in the borough of Richmond, you can let the council know