Author: John Stewart

Campaign groups welcomes Heathrow’s decision to share out noise

PRESS RELEASE

 20/09/18 for immediate use

 CAMPAIGN GROUP WELCOMES HEATHROW’S INTENTION TO SHARE NOISE AROUND WITH ITS NEW FLIGHT PATHS

Campaign group HACAN has welcomed Heathrow’s intention to give people breaks from the noise when it designs its new flight paths. Yesterday Heathrow published the results of the consultation it held earlier this year into its new flights (1).

The consultation was not on the exact route of the flight paths but on how people thought they should be designed. The least favoured option was for all-day flying on flights paths concentrated over particular communities. Most people wanted a sharing of the noise so each community got a break from the noise.  Many said new areas should be avoided if possible.

In yesterday’s report Heathrow said it would design flights paths to provide people respite from the noise and to avoid new areas wherever it could.

The report now goes to the Civil Aviation Authority for approval. If it is approved, Heathrow plans to consult further on the flight paths in January. However, the exact flight paths won’t be known for another few years.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the organisation which gives a voice to residents impacted by Heathrow, said, “This is proof that victories are possible.   For over a decade we have campaigned for respite from the noise for people. We are pleased that Heathrow has listened and will avoid all-day flying over communities.”

Heathrow has embarked on the biggest redesign of its flight paths since it opened in 1946. It is driven less by the third runway and more by the worldwide move of changing the way planes are guided when landing and taking off. Airports are moving from ground-based navigation to a satellite-based system which allows aircraft to be guided more precisely thus saving fuel, reducing climate emissions and improving the resilience of the airport.

ENDS

 Notes for editors:

(1). Link to the report:

…https://b9kdp3cmc3m1gtje53fj9gdn-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/…/… …

For more information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

3rd Runway will mean ‘torrents of noise’

PRESS RELEASE

 25/6/18 for immediate use

VOTE TO BACK THIRD RUNWAY WILL MEAN ‘TORRENTS OF NOISE’ FOR COUNTLESS COMMUNITIES

Campaigners claimed that today’s vote to back a third runway will cause countless communities to experience ‘torrents of noise’ for the first time.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the long-established residents’ group which has campaigned against a new runway at Heathrow for 15 years, said, “A third runway will turn peaceful areas of London and the Home Counties into torrents of noise as planes pass over at a rate of one every 90 seconds.   Up to 100,000 people could experience relentless noise for the first time.”

Stewart added, “Of course the new runway is not a done deal.  This vote simply permits Heathrow to draw up detailed plans which in due course will need to be approved by a planning inquiry before construction can start.”

Today’s vote in Parliament means that a third runway becomes official Government policy.  The Prime Minister secured a majority of 296.  415 MPs backed a new runway, with 119 against.

A number of local authorities, backed by Greenpeace and the Mayor of London, indicated last week that they would mount a legal challenge against any vote in favour of a new runway.  It is expected the courts will hear their case in the autumn.

Over the next year Heathrow will draw up and consult on its plans for the third runway with a view to presenting them to a public inquiry in 2020.

Stewart said, “Although HACAN believes a third runway is not the right answer we will engage in the consultation process in order to fight for the best deal for residents should a third runway go ahead.

ENDS

 For further information:

John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650

Heathrow rules out all-day concentrated flying on its new flight paths

Heathrow published the results of the first round of its consultation into new flight paths on 19th September.  It has ruled out all-day concentrated flying. At HACAN we welcome this and take some credit for it as we have been campaigning for this for over a decade. The consultation, held earlier this year, asked people about what principles should be followed when the airport designs its new flight paths.  Most people wanted respite and sharing out of the noise.  Many said new areas should not be impacted.  The least popular option was all-day flying concentrated over a few communities.  The theme running through Heathrow’s report is that it will aim to share the noise around and provide respite. 

The full report can be read here: https://b9kdp3cmc3m1gtje53fj9gdn-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Heathrow-Airspace-Design-Principles-Submission.pdf

New Poll reveals mixed views on 3rd runway

A new poll from Populus, commissioned by Heathrow and released by them on 21st September,  reveals mixed views on the third runway. 50% of people in the 15 local authority areas closest to the airport backed a new runway, with 32% opposed. The results are not dissimilar to the ones the polling company, Populus, has carried out over the years.  HACAN has been critical of the methodology Populus use and took legal advice on challenging them.  The lawyers felt that Populus were not doing anything illegal although some of their questions bordered on being leading questions.  With that in mind support for a 3rd runway may be few percentage points lower than they claim but their broad findings are consistent with other polls.

 Here is the link to the full poll:  https://www.populus.co.uk/poll/heathrow-airport-poll/ . 

South East London – No Respite from aircraft noise

HACAN today is pleased to publish an important report by Forest Hill resident Tim Walker outlining what happens when London City and Heathrow flights combine to create community noise hotspots in south east London

Using London SE23 as an example, the paper aims to make clear to policymakers, campaigners and the two airports what the problems for communities are with the introduction of concentrated flight paths (City Airport) and separate development of the two London airport flight paths.

Noise from arriving London City Airport aircraft combined with departing and arriving Heathrow aircraft blights thousands of south east London homes, with no respite.

City Airport’s low altitude air superhighways, beginning in Feb 2016, have resulted in a perfect storm of aircraft noise for many SE London residents.

Respite means scheduled relief from aircraft noise for a period of time. There are community noise hotspots in SE London that receive no respite from 6.30am to 10pm nearly every day of the year.

Read the full report:  http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/No-aircraft-noise-respite-for-London-SE23-August-2018-1.pdf

Big majority of MPs back 3rd Runway

The Government got a majority of 296 after the debate in Parliament last night (25th June) on a third runway.  It now officially becomes Government policy.In total 415 MPs backed it; 119 opposed.  119 Labour MPs backed it; 94 opposed (Labour MPs were given a free vote).  The Conservatives imposed a 3 line whip: 8 MPs defied the whip and voted against: Justine Greening, Greg Hands, Adam Afriyie, Sir David Amess, Bob Blackman, Zac Goldsmith, Matthew Offord and Theresa Villiers.  The SNP abstained on the grounds that the guarantees of more flights to Scotland weren’t firm enough.

What happens now:

The local authorities, backed by the Mayor of London and Greenpeace, are preparing a legal challenge. They have six weeks to submit it.  Heathrow Hub will also mount a legal challenge.  The courts would be expected to hear the cases in the autumn.

Heathrow will start drawing up its detailed plans for the new runway.  This is part of the DCO (Development Consent Order) process.  These plans will be consulted next year with a view to going before a Planning Inquiry in 2020.  Heathrow would be looking to get final permission in 2021, with a view to opening the new runway in 2025.

HACAN initial reaction:

  • The majority was a little higher than expected.  We had been expecting majority of around 250.
  • With a majority of 296 the Government will feel they have a strong mandate to build the runway.
  • There has been little change in the position of MPs over the last two years.  In 2016 (in advance of the Government’s autumn 2016 announcement of its preferred runway option) HACAN spent £10,000 lobbying MPs.  The indications then were that just over 300 MPs would back a third runway.
  • Heathrow will be relieved that more Labour MPs backed a third runway than opposed, lessening their fears that a Corbyn Government would be able to overturn the decision
  • The SNP played it very cleverly.  They knew it would be safe to abstain as the third runway, which they back, would go through but by abstaining retained their position of never having voted with the Conservatives since 1979 (important for public consumption in Scotland) and put pressure on the Government to firm up the guarantees to Scotland on flight numbers.
  • The Government and Heathrow will be under pressure to deliver on the conditions (such as a tougher night flight ban; respite for more communities) which may be made more stringent during the DCO process.  This was repeatedly mentioned by MPs both for and against a third runway in the debate and the lack of firmer guarantees was the reason why Lilian Greenwood, the respected chair of the Transport Select Committee, voted against the Government.
  • There remain doubts if Heathrow can overcome sheer logistics involved building the new runway

Cabinet backs 3rd Runway, with link to full National Policy Statement

The Cabinet backed a 3rd runway at Heathrow on 5th June 2018.  Parliament will now vote on the Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) – see link in full post plus link to Government response to Transport Select Committee Report on the NPS – which contains the plans for a third runway, within 21 days.  If it supports the new runway, it becomes Government policy, though some local authorities are expected to challenge the decision in the courts.

DfT Summary of the NPS:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/713661/proposed-expansion-of-heathrow-summary.pdf

Chris Grayling’s Statement to Parliament:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/proposed-heathrow-expansion

On the same day, the Government published its detailed response to the Transport Select Committee’s report on the NPS:  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/713654/government-response-to-the-transport-committee-report-on-the-revised-draft-airports-nps-web-version.pdf

HACAN, along with Campaign for Better Transport, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, produced this short report arguing that the 3rd runway doesn’t meet Labour’s four tests:  http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Labours-four-tests-1.pdf

SONA Study: major new CAA study on levels when aircraft noise annoys people

When people get annoyed by noise

The findings of the new HACAN study are supported by SONA, a study the Government commissioned from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): Survey of Noise Attitudes 2014. SONA found that people start to get annoyed by aircraft noise at lower levels than previously officially recognised.  This is reflected now in the Government’s Airspace Strategy which recognised that people can get annoyed by aircraft noise when it averages out over a 16 hour day at 54 decibels.  Previously government argued it was57 decibels. Some people get annoyed at even lower levels.

The chart above, taken from the study, compares the results of the Government sponsored 1982 ANIS Study with the new SONA study.  SONA found  9% of people are highly annoyed when the average is 54 decibels.  In geographical terms around Heathrow that goes as far as about Clapham to the east and about 16 miles to the west: about 65,000 people in total.  The lower average of 51% extends about as far as Peckham.

The full study  http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%201506%20FEB17.pdf

South East London Study

HACAN launches major new study

Today (3rd April) HACAN has launched a major new study which reveals the extent of the aircraft noise problem in South East London.  Corridors of Concentration, published in conjunction with Plane Hell Action, a local group based in SE London,  has revealed a dramatic increase in the number of flights over many areas of South East London in recent years.  It also found that flight paths have become more concentrated.

Over a dozen areas from Clapham Common in the west to Greenwich in the east were surveyed.  The number of aircraft audible from each location was recorded.  Key counts were verified by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The overall number of flights is much the same as when we last surveyed the area 10 years ago but this masks significant changes in certain places.  Particularly dramatic was the increase in the number of flights in the far east of the region has increased dramatically: daily flights in the Brockley corridor grew by 135 between 2011 and 2017; Greenwich saw an increase of 165 a day.

The study concluded many more planes are joining their final approach corridors further east than before and are more concentrated within those corridors.   

Read the study:  http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Corridors-of-Concentration-Report-1.pdf