New noise report from CAA deemed to be ‘disappointing’ by HACAN
The CAA’s new report, Managing Aviation Noise, suggests how the aviation industry can best manage aircraft noise, in order to reduce and defuse opposition. The CAA appreciates that noise is a very real issue, and that there has been very little improvement in the noise climate around airports since 2000. Speaking on behalf of HACAN, John Stewart welcomed the recognition of this fact, which reflects the experience of residents. By contrast, the aviation industry likes to give the impression that planes are getting very much quieter,and the noise problem is steadily improving. HACAN regards the CAA report overall as ‘disappointing’ and though it contains useful ideas on how to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on residents, it says very little about how the actual number of planes flying over communities can be cut – which is the big issue for local residents. The CAA report recognises that the noise problem has to be dealt with better than it is now, but its focus is on how new capacity can be developed and operated to minimise noise impacts and maximise community benefits, rather than whether the capacity – primarily a new south east runway – should be built.
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New noise report from CAA ‘disappointing’
29.5.2014 (HACAN)
A new report, Managing Aviation Noise, published today by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on best ways of tacking aircraft noise has been branded ‘disappointing’ by HACAN, which campaigns on behalf of residents under the Heathrow flight paths.
HACAN Chair John Stewart said: “Although the report is packed with useful ideas on how to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on residents, it is on the whole a disappointing report as it says very little about how the number of planes flying over communities can be cut which is the big issue for local residents.”
Stewart added: “We do welcome, though, a clear recognition in the report that there has been very little improvement in the noise climate around airports since 2000. This reflects the experience of residents and challenges those in the aviation industry who like to give the impression that things are getting steadily quieter.”
The report’s key recommendations for the aviation industry include:
- Airports and airlines should ensure that operational approaches to mitigate noise are incentivised and adopted wherever feasible. The CAA will work with industry to consider, trial and promote novel operational approaches to noise minimisation.
- When looking to expand, airports should do more to ensure local residents see benefits from additional capacity – whether through funding community schemes, direct payments, or tax breaks.
- Airports seeking expansion should significantly increase spending on noise. mitigation schemes to get closer to international competitors – including full insulation for those most affected.
- Airlines should focus on noise performance when purchasing new aircraft.
- Airports should structure their landing charges to incentivise airlines to operate cleaner, quieter flights.
In addition, the document proposes creating a new Airport Community Engagement Forum bringing together local residents, the aviation industry, policy makers and planners focussed on how new capacity can developed and operated to minimise noise impacts and maximise community benefits, rather than whether it should be built.
The report also floats the idea of a noise tax being imposed on airlines with the money raised used to provide compensation and possible tax breaks for residents.
Stewart concluded: “Most of these proposals are a step forward but, unless a way is found to cut the number of planes flying over communities, the central problem is not being addressed.
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CAA report tells aviation industry to do more to tackle aircraft noise if it wants to expand
May 29th 2014 (AEF – Aviation Environment Federation)
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published a new report arguing that the aviation industry’s plans to manage noise fall short of what would be needed to secure permission for new runways.
The report, ‘Managing Aviation Noise’, is being promoted by the CAA as a call to arms for the aviation industry on noise. It emphasises that noise is one of the biggest challenges to airport expansion, particularly in the UK where more people are affected by aircraft noise than in any other country in Europe. The industry ‘noise roadmap’ is criticised for being insufficiently ambitious and failing to deliver the Government’s objective of limiting and reducing aircraft noise, with the CAA arguing that the number of people exposed to aviation noise should be reduced and not just stabilised.
Airlines should do more, according to the report, by buying quieter aircraft, and airports should structure landing charges to promote the use of less noisy planes. None of these suggestions are new, however, and the industry is likely to argue that it is already taking significant action on noise. The report therefore recommends that if other options fail, Government should consider a noise tax to add greater incentive.
The report also says that airports should do more to ensure that communities feel benefits from airport expansion through funding community schemes, direct payments or tax breaks. A significant increase in spending on noise should accompany any airport expansion, it is argued, since airports in the UK do not spend anywhere near the same level on noise mitigation as other countries in the EU and the US. The report, however, does not comment on the latest compensation plans from Heathrow and Gatwick.
To further community involvement, the CAA recommends a new Airport Community Engagement Forum to bring together local residents, the aviation industry, policy makers and planners to come up with practical solutions to minimise the impacts of airport expansion. This could be viewed as a CAA-led alternative to the independent noise ombudsman recently recommended by the Airports Commission.
AEF would welcome constructive engagement between airports and local communities, as many of our members have concerns about the effectiveness of the ‘consultative committees’ that currently fulfil this role. Any forum based on the idea that local communities must accept expansion in order for airports to work constructively with them is unlikely to be widely supported by the people already affected by unacceptable noise levels.
Links
CAP 1165 Managing Aviation Noise
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See also
CAA urges UK aviation to improve noise performance and engage communities better, so it can continue to grow
The CAA have produced a new report about aircraft noise in the context of airport expansion. They realise that airports and airlines should do all they can to reduce noise. Some of their recommendations are that when looking to expand, airports should do more to ensure local residents see benefits from additional capacity – whether through funding community schemes, direct payments, or tax breaks. Also that airports seeking expansion should significantly increase spending on noise. mitigation schemes to get closer to international competitors – including full insulation for those most affected. Airlines should focus on noise performance when purchasing new aircraft, and airports should structure their landing charges to incentivise airlines to operate so called “cleaner” (lower carbon emissions?), and less noisy flights. The CAA also propose creating a new Airport Community Engagement Forum, bringing together local residents, the aviation industry, policy makers and planners focussed on how (not whether) new airport capacity can be developed and operated with least annoyance, or complaint, from those over flown.
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