Green Party report ‘nails the lie’ that Heathrow noise levels have improved

36,000 more flights using Heathrow this year than in 1997

Pressure group HACAN ClearSkies said that a new report published today by the Green Party (1) ‘nailed the lie’ that noise levels around Heathrow have improved in recent years. The report shows that there will be 36,000 more flights using the airport this year than when the Labour Government came to power in 1997. That is, around 100 extra flights a day.

The report shows that, over the last eight years, the problem of aircraft noise has spread widely across London and Berkshire, extending as far west as Henley-on-Thames. It found that “although some individual aircraft have become quieter since 1997, any reduction in noise levels has been off-set by the huge increase in the number of planes.” (2).

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN ClearSkies, said, “This is the report we have been waiting for. It nails the lie that noise levels are improving. It shows that noise from Heathrow is affecting more people than ever before. This backs up what our members have been telling us consistently. And it shows clearly that, if further expansion takes place at Heathrow, the noise climate will only get worse. This well-researched report has done us all a service by revealing the truth behind the spin.”

Notes for Editors:

  1. The report was launched by Caroline Lucas MEP and Darren Johnson AM on Thursday 24th March.

  2. Key figures from the report:

  • In 1997, 429,000 flights used Heathrow

  • By the end of 2004, the figure will be over 465,000

  • In 2004, 36,000 more flights a year will use Heathrow than in 1997

  • …that is, around 100 extra flights a day

By 2002, more than 400,000 people in London alone rated aircraft noise as ‘a serious problem’ (GLA Household Survey 2002)

By 2003, around 400 planes a day were flying over Stockwell in South London — that’s around one every two minutes in an area at least 15 miles from Heathrow.

And in 2003, BAA admitted that half of all planes landing at Heathrow when the prevailing west wind was blowing came in over the Highbury/Stoke Newington area of North London.

Constituencies with over 100 extra flights a day since 1997:
Brentford and Isleworth; Ealing North; Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush; Hammersmith and Fulham; Hayes and Harlington; Richmond Park; Slough; Feltham and Heston; Spelthorne; Twickenham; Windsor

Constituencies, relatively untroubled 10 years ago, now getting as many as 400 flights a day*:
Camberwell and Peckham; Cities of London and Westminster; Dulwich and West Norwood; Greenwich and Wolwich; Hampstead and Highgate; Kensington and Chelsea; Lewisham East; Lewisham West; Lewisham Deptford; North Southwark and Bermondsey; Poplar and Canning Town; Streatham; Vauxhall.
*the build-up in many of these areas began in 1995/6

Constituencies where a significant problem emerged since 2001:
Hackney North and Stoke Newington; Hackney South and Shoreditch; Hornsey and Wood Green; Islington North; Islington South and Finsbury; Finchley and Golders Green; Tooting

The reason why is so many new areas are affected by noise is that the increase in the number of aircraft means that planes are joining their final landing path much further from Heathrow than previously.

For more information contact: John Stewart on 020 7737 6641 or 07957 385650

For the full report contact the Green Party — Penny Kemp on 01622 890601 or 07711 760692, or Ruth Somerville on 020 7561 0282.

Or download the report from our site.