The Government published its Green Paper with proposals for its new aviation strategy at the end of last year which it will finalise and release in the second half of 2019. The consultation ended on 20th June 2019.
Read HACAN’s response: HACAN Consultation Response
Read the response of HACAN East: Aviation Green Paper HACAN East response
For more details of the consultation, plus HACAN’s briefing on it: https://hacan.org.uk/?p=5068
2nd May 2019
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the Government’s official advisers, published its latest report today. It is recommending that the UK becomes ‘net-zero’ on CO 2 emissions by 2050. This does not there will be no CO2 emissions but those which are emitted will need to be balanced by taking carbon out of the air or burying it: ” The CCC target is for “net zero” because some activities, such as flying and farming, will unavoidably produce some emissions in 2050. But these will be balanced by taking carbon out of the air by growing trees or burying CO2 under the ground ” .
The report goes on to suggest on aviation: “Air travel will become more expensive because of the slow development of alternatives to polluting kerosene to power planes. Air passengers may be required to pay to offset the costs of their emissions from 2035. The cost of doing so could reach £55 by 2050 for an economy flight to New York and £25 to Malaga. The report encourages frequent flyers — the 15 per cent of people responsible for 70 per cent of flights — to catch trains and cut down on long-haul travel”.
Read the report: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming/
Read the HACAN summary of the aviation section: https://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Committee-on-Climate-Change-Report-aviation-summary.pdf
1st May 2019
The High Court today announced that it ruled against the local authorities and campaign groups who had brought Judicial Reviews against the Government’s decision last year to give Heathrow permission to draw up plans for a third runway. The objectors have decided to appeal seek leave to appeal the decision. Read the full judgement.
HACAN released a report challenging the aviation industry to take action to improve the noise climate for local communities. Noise Relief outlines practical measures which could be taken to achieve this.
John Stewart, chair of HACAN and co-author of the report, said, “Heathrow is drawing up plans for the biggest shake up of its flight paths since the airport opened in 1946. HACAN welcomes many of these plans, particularly those which will bring some respite each day to the many areas which are currently flown over all day long. But these new flight paths will not be in place for several years yet. Our report suggests measures which can be taken in the interim.”
The report advocates four measures be taken to assist residents:
HACAN will now be lobby the industry for action on these measures
To read the full report: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/NoiseRelief.pdf
A new publication from HACAN arguing that the Green Paper is the ideal opportunity for the Government to re-examine the whole question of night flights at airports across the country: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Night-Flights-Revisited.pdf
We have had a lot of questions about a Land Referencing letter some of you will have received from Heathrow. It is a legal requirement for any promoter of a major development to send these out. They go to households who may – and we stress may – be impacted by the construction of a third runway. Most people who receive a letter will not be. You are not required to respond to it though Heathrow are likely to follow up if you don’t. And it doesn’t mean, of course, that a 3rd runway is inevitable. It still has to overcome the hurdles of the current legal challenge, a planning inquiry (expected next year) and uncertainty if a new Government came to power.
The Government published its Green Paper with proposals for its new aviation strategy at the end of last year which it will finalise and release in the second half of 2019. The consultation will end on 20th June 2019 It is an important document. It sets out proposals for UK aviation policy until 2050.
The consultation was originally due to close on 11th April but has been extended to 20th June 2019 in part, allow comment to be made on the Committee on Climate Change report due in May.
Link to the full paper: https://aviationstrategy.campaign.gov.uk
There’s also a NATS paper on the new type of flight paths being introduced: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/763085/nats-caa-feasibility-airspace-modernisation.pdf
And a CAA paper on past and future noise levels: http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%201731%20Aviation%20Strategy%20Noise%20Forecast%20and%20Analyses.pdf
Read the 3 page summary HACAN has put together: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Green-Paper-summary.pdf
Here is a short paper to help you with your response:http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Green-Paper-response-pointers.pdf
Each airport with over 50,000 movements is required by the European Union to publish a Noise Action Plan every 5 years. Heathrow has just published it latest one covering the years 2019 – 2023. It only focuses on a two-runway Heathrow since, if a third runway gets permission, it will not be up and running until about 2025/6. UK airports will not be required to produce Noise Action Plans if the UK leaves the EU but the Government is considering replacing them with Noise Reduction Plans: https://www.heathrow.com/noise/making-heathrow-quieter/noise-action-plan
The legal challenge to the Government’s decision to approve the 3rd Runway in principle finished in the High Court on 22nd March, with a decision expected within a couple of months. There were five challenges: one from some local authorities plus the Mayor of London and Greenpeace; one each from Friends of the Earth and Plan B; one from Heathrow Hub, which wants to extend the existing northern runway; and one from an individual. Transcripts of proceedings can be found at:https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/heathrow-claimants-v-the-secretary-of-state-for-transport-transcripts/
ICCAN, an independent body to ensure fair play between Government, communities and local authorities, has been set up. HACAN has already had two meetings with ICCAN. We welcome the setting up of an independent body, having long pushed for it. Indeed, we produced a joint report with Heathrow calling for such a body. You can read the report here:
Read the report: file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/IANA-Joint-Paper-HACAN-and-Heathrow-Airport1.pdf
Read the press release: http://mediacentre.heathrow.com/pressrelease/details/81/Corporate-operational-24/8054
