Heathrow was the clear winner of the Noise Olympics staged this morning by campaign group HACAN in Ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith (1). The airport received its medal, in the form of golden ear-defenders, from the local MP Andy Slaughter. The silver went to Frankfurt and the bronze to Charles De Gaulle. Gatwick trailed badly to finish in last position.
Heathrow won the race because it overflies more people than any other airport in Europe. According to European Commission figures over 725,000 residents are overflown which is 28% of all people in Europe disturbed by aircraft noise (2).
HACAN chair John Stewart said, “This was a fun way of showing that Heathrow is already in a noise league of its own. Residents are very worried what a third runway with an extra 250,000 flights a year will mean.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
(1). The Noise Olympics.
Date: 18th August
Time: 11am
Venue: Ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith
Event: A 100 metres race, 8 runners (representing the 7 European airports which overfly most people plus Gatwick), each wearing t-shirts
(2). The European league tables (as produced by the European Commission)
European table (top 20)
| Airport | Population within 55Lden contour |
| Heathrow | 725,000 |
| Frankfurt | 238,700 |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle | 170,000 |
| Lisbon | 150,000 |
| Paris Orly | 110,000 |
| Manchester | 90,000 |
| Naples | 80,000 |
| Milan Linato | 70,000 |
| Glasgow | 63,600 |
| Hamburg | 50,000 |
| Brussels | 49,700 |
| Birmingham | 47,900 |
| Stuttgart | 44,000 |
| Schipol Amsterdam | 43,700 |
| Valencia | 43,000 |
| Warsaw | 43,000 |
| Bergamo | 43,000 |
| Madrid | 43,000 |
| Milan Malpensa | 43,000 |
| Toulouse | 42,000 |
Gatwick is well outside the top 20 with 11,900 overflown. That would rise to a total of 37,000 if a second runway was built.
For further information:
John Stewart on 0207 737 6641 or 07957385650