HACAN signs up to a joint statement with Heathrow airport on an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA)

Date added: 15 December, 2016

HACAN and Heathrow have set out their support for an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA). The Government has said it would support the introduction of the IANA and will consult on its role and scope in 2017. Before that, Hacan and Heathrow have put out a “summary of common ground” on a joint position on the role and structure of the IANA, at first looking only at Heathrow. They have together written to Chris Grayling, backing the concept of an IANA. They hope it will “oversee efforts to reduce aircraft noise in communities around Heathrow,” and that it will “provide an impartial source of expert advice on noise, coordinate independent research, adjudicate on noise complaints that can’t be managed locally and ensure that communities have access to information…” They say IANA should have no enforcement powers, or be part of the CAA or DfT. Hacan and Heathrow say the main role of the IANA should be to provide an impartial source of expert advice, and then take on additional tasks such as to “establish a framework for noise management which is rooted in best practice”. It could also take on ombudsman functions, such as to investigate “complaints that have not been resolved locally.” John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, hopes an IANA could “bring reassurance to local communities but can also encourage airports to take their noise responsibilities seriously.”
.
Tweet

Unlikely Allies Unite To Back Independent Aviation Noise Authority

Heathrow press release

15.12.2016

• HACAN and Heathrow set out their support for an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA), one of the recommendations made by the Airports Commission.

• The Government has said it would support the introduction of the IANA and will consult on its role and scope in the new year. Ahead of that, the two organisations have agreed a joint position on the role and structure of the Authority.

• The IANA’s primary role should be to provide an impartial source of expert advice on noise, acting independently of industry, government or local groups.

In a letter to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling Heathrow Airport and HACAN set out their joint support for an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA) to oversee efforts to reduce aircraft noise in communities around Heathrow.

The establishment of a noise authority was first proposed by the Airports Commission in its final report and the Government has since said it supports the introduction of the IANA with a consultation on its role and scope to follow in the new year.

The two organisations share the view that the IANA’s main roles should be to provide an impartial source of expert advice on noise, coordinate independent research, adjudicate on noise complaints that can’t be managed locally and ensure that communities have access to information about noise and how airports are managing issues.

John Stewart, Chair of HACAN, said: “It is well-known we don’t agree with Heathrow on everything but on this issue we are speaking with one voice. A strong, independent noise authority can bring reassurance to local communities but can also encourage airports to take their noise responsibilities seriously.”

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s Chief Executive, said: “We want to be a good neighbour, and reduce the impact of aircraft noise on our local communities – something on which we agree with HACAN. An independent aviation noise authority has an important role to play in building trust that we are meeting our commitments.”

Notes to editors:
1. The joint position document on an independent aviation noise authority is at

IANA-Joint-Paper-HACAN-and-Heathrow-Airport1

http://mediacentre.heathrow.com/pressrelease/details/81/Corporate-operational-24/8054

Some of the comments on Twitter about this:

‏@StopHeathrowExp

SHE would like to make it clear that @HACAN1 does not speak for us. DfT & Hrow want to call this one contact “community engagement”.

‏@Uberrats

@ChiswickandKew @colnbrookca The make up of the ‘Independent’ regulator will be John Stewart + a dozen aviation lobbyists of various guises

‏@syonist

“should not have a role as the “noise police”. It should not have enforcement powers nor ability to fine airlines or airports” Toothless?

@StopHeathrowExp @HACAN1 Heathrow will ensure that any ‘Independent’ regulator becomes impotent for us and another PR arm for them.

‏@HACAN1

@StopHeathrowExp What we want is a body independent of industry; a key task will be to help community groups who weren’t getting a fair deal

‏@colnbrookca

@StopHeathrowExp @HACAN1 As I read it all community groups will be excluded from contributing to the new set up, as will Heathrow itself.

‏@Outofthecontour

@HACAN1 @StopHeathrowExp 2 yrs of meetings of HCNF and only action has been putting in a few #noise monitors. Very worried.

‏@tellditruth

.@HACAN1 @StopHeathrowExp have read ToR – it can’t be called an authority as it has none, it reads as an advisory panel at best

‏@planesRnotus

@HACAN1 Good Idea on Paper, but how many teeth will it have & Statutory Legislation is required to stop its powers being watered down.

The letter sent to Chris Grayling:

14 December 2016

Dear Secretary of State

Independent Aviation Noise Authority

Following the recommendation of the Airports Commission in its final report published in July 2015 that an independent aviation noise authority should be established, HACAN and Heathrow Airport have been working together to produce a discussion paper outlining our shared view of the purpose and structure of such a body.

We are pleased to enclose our Discussion Paper on an Independent Aviation Noise Authority, which sets out our joint position on the principles, roles and structure of the Authority, ahead of a Government consultation.

The two organisations support the concept of an independent aviation noise authority, recognising that noise-exposed communities would value an independent assessment of whether aircraft noise is being managed as effectively and fairly as possible. We believe that the Authority’s main role should be to provide an impartial source of expert advice and sit independently of the Government, industry, NGOs and the Civil Aviation Authority.

We also believe that policy-making should continue to be a Government responsibility and the Authority should instead focus on making recommendations to ensure that airports meet their obligations around noise and undertake measures to mitigate the impact of noise on local communities.

Our two organisations collaborated on the enclosed paper, and we hope it is a useful document in order to progress the development of an independent aviation noise authority. We would be happy to continue the dialogue and engage either together or individually.

Yours sincerely,

John Stewart, Chair, HACAN

John Holland-Kaye Chief Executive Officer, Heathrow Airport

There is a briefing from the House of Commons Library, by Louise Butcher, at http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7433

This states:

Independent Aviation Noise Authority

Published Wednesday, December 16, 2015

This short briefing provides information on the Independent Aviation Noise Authority as proposed by the Airports Commission, what it might do and whether it is going to happen.

What is it?

An Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA) with a statutory right to be consulted on flight paths and other operating procedures was one of the recommendations of the Davies Commission into airport capacity, which reported in July 2015.

The Final Report said that an IANA “should be established with a statutory right to be consulted on flight paths and other operating procedures. The authority should be given statutory consultee status and a formal role in monitoring and quality assuring all processes and functions which have an impact on aircraft noise, and in advising central and local Government and the CAA on such issues”. [p32]

Further, the Commission recommended that the Government introduce a noise charge or levy to “incentivise airports to reduce noise and ensure that they make an appropriate contribution to local communities”. [p292] IANA should “advise on the exact design and weighting of a charge and provide guidance or direction on how funds raised are most fairly allocated with regard to noise impacts. This may include an assessment of pre-existing arrangements at different airports. Local people should be able to see clearly how funds are used in their local areas and should have real influence over how money is spent”. [p293]

The Commission listed a number of activities which it believed IANA could undertake:

Provide statutory advice to the Secretary of State for Transport regarding proposed changes to Noise Preferential Routes.
Provide statutory advice to the Secretary of State for Transport and the CAA in respect of the proper structure for noise compensation schemes.
Provide statutory input to planning inquiries relating to airport infrastructure in respect of the appropriate controls that should apply in respect of aircraft noise.
Work with the developers and operators of any new airport capacity as well as communities affected by the development to define a noise envelope to create a balance between aviation growth and noise control.
Conduct research into the best means of monitoring and reporting aircraft noise, as well as its association with annoyance and impacts upon human health and their possible mitigation.
Publish comparative assessments of airlines’ performance in reducing their noise impacts.
Act as a statutory consultee in planning applications with respect to airport infrastructure or housing developments which would have an effect upon the population affected by airport noise.
Mediate by request between airports and their local communities in disputes relating to noise monitoring, the functioning of airports’ advisory committees, and airports’ compliance with their noise action plans and, where appropriate, advise the CAA in respect of potential breaches of noise regulations. [p304]

What did the Environmental Audit Committee say about it?

In December 2015 the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) published a report into the environmental aspects of the Commission’s Final Report. On noise, it recommended that:

If the Government decides in favour of expansion it should put in place a framework to ensure that mitigating measures are introduced promptly. As part of efforts to restore trust and effective community engagement, IANA should be introduced in 2016“even if the Government decides against Heathrow expansion”; and
IANA would “need a more up to date understanding of people’s attitudes to noise if it is to be credible. One of the first tasks of such a body should be to undertake a survey of people’s attitudes to aviation noise. The results of this survey should underpin both its own work and future Government policy on managing noise. In particular, they should form part of a piece of work to develop a set of metrics to assess noise impact”. [Paras 73 & 88]

and it continues

http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7433