Quieten the Skies
A practical programme from HACAN to curb the noise of aircraft from Heathrow and London City Airports
1. A third runway at Heathrow remains off the agenda
2. Retain Runway Alternation
Runway alternation, the practice whereby aircraft landing at Heathrow switch
runways at 3pm to give people in the areas closer to Heathrow a half day’s
break from the noise, is vital for those areas. It ensures that people do not
have a plane flying over the heads, one every ninety seconds, all day long.
3. Curb night flights
The current night flight agreement with the airlines ends in Autumn 2012. 16
flights are permitted between 11.30pm and 6am overflying at least half a million
people, more than any other city in Europe. There are around 65 flights between
6am and 7am. We are pressing for a ban on night flights between 11pm and 6am,
and a reduction between 6am and 7am. While night flights remain, they should
be rotated on a daily basis so any community is only overflown one night in
four.
4. End the practice of Heathrow operating at 99% capacity
This results in many planes are being held in the skies over London, causing
unnecessary extra noise, emissions and air pollution, and it makes no business
sense to operate with virtually no margin for delays or emergencies. Mechanisms,
such a slot auctioning, which could ensure BAA operates at Heathrow at no more
than 90% capacity, need to be investigated. The 480,000 cap should be regarded
as an absolute limit, not a target to be reached.
5. Encourage fewer, if bigger planes, to use Heathrow
Sensible use of the larger, quieter aircraft could be a win-win situation, allowing
more passengers to use the airport but with fewer planes. (The Government’s
proposed Plane Tax could be the vehicle to encourage this to happen). It could
allow Heathrow to cater for more passengers while operating at no more than
90% capacity.
6. Encourage planes to join their final approach path as late as possible
Since the mid-1990s, aircraft have been directed onto their final approach path
sometimes 20 miles from the airport, resulting in such a concentration of noise
in places like Vauxhall that the overall noise climate can be worse than parts
of West London. The industry should use the new technologies coming on-stream
which allow aircraft to be guided down with much more precision to ensure that
aircraft join their final approach path as late as possible. Before they join
the final approach path, the noise burden should be shared as equitably as possible
with guaranteed periods of quiet for each community.
• Aircraft taking off are already more dispersed. The problem tends to be when they deviate from their usual routes, bringing noise to areas which were not previously overflown by departing aircraft. People need certainty.
7. Introduce, when practicable, a steeper ‘glideslope’
for aircraft when landing
This would mean planes are higher for longer. We understand the industry is
looking at this but is still concerned that a much steeper glideslope might
increase safety concerns.
8. Put in place a fair deal on sound insulation
The area where residents get help with insulation should be extended. The noise
level where residents qualify for help around Heathrow is higher than that for
people living around many other airports.
9. Stop expansion at City Airport
For parts of East and South-East London the combination of noise from Heathrow
and City Airport has become a real problem. It has been exacerbated by the growing
use of jet aircraft rather than the quieter turbo-props at City. It will become
even worse if City Airport is allowed to increase flight numbers by 50%. That
plan should be rejected.
10. Review the recent changes in City airport flight paths
The new flight path introduced in 2009 to accommodate the increase used of jet
aircraft needs to be urgently and publicly reviewed as it has resulted in disturbance
to vast swathes of East and North East London which never expected to be under
a flight path. At busy times aircraft can be taking off over people’s
homes about every minute or two at heights of less than 2,000 feet.
HACAN represents residents under the Heathrow flight paths; tel 020 8876 0455; info@hacan.org.uk; www.hacan.org.uk
