London Assembly report says Heathrow 3rd runway should be scrapped, due to ‘severe effects’ of aircraft noise

A report, by the London Assembly environment committee, calls for Heathrow expansion to be stopped, due to the effects of aircraft noise. The report has renewed calls for the 3rd runway to be stopped. The noise from aircraft negatively affects work, relaxation and sleep, with “severe effects” on health and wellbeing. Caroline Russell, chairman of the committee, said: “The experiences of residents living with the daily nightmare of overhead noise are deeply worrying. This drive towards filling airspace capacity must be checked. For too many people, including children, aircraft noise is a major dominant intrusion into their everyday lives.”  If Heathrow builds the new runway, the number of flights will increase from around 475,000 to 740,000 a year.  It is likely that around 200,000 more people will be badly affected by aircraft noise. Heathrow also plans to increase its flights by 25,000, to around 500,000 per year and change flight paths, including overflying new areas, even before any 3rd runway. Ms Russell added: “…aviation authorities and operators must prioritise the health and well-being of Londoners and give us a break.”

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Calls to scrap Heathrow third runway due ‘severe effects’ of aircraft noise

By Kate Oglesby Local Democracy Reporter, Greater London Authority
Enfield Independent
25.1.2019
A report calling for the Heathrow expansion to be stopped has said aircraft noise can have “severe effects” on people’s health and wellbeing.

Parliament voted in favour of a third runway at Heathrow in June 2018.

But now a new report by the London Assembly environment committee, which warns of the effects of noise pollution on residents in the capital, has renewed calls for the expansion not to go ahead.

The report warns airport noise can disturb work, relaxation and sleep, with “severe effects” on health and wellbeing.

Caroline Russell, chairman of the environment committee, said: “The experiences of residents living with the daily nightmare of overhead noise are deeply worrying.

“This drive towards filling airspace capacity must be checked. For too many people, including children, aircraft noise is a major dominant intrusion into their everyday lives.”

If Heathrow builds the new runway, the number of flights will increase from around 475,000 to 740,000 a year.

Campaigners say this means around 200,000 more people will be affected by aircraft noise.

Heathrow has also recently published plans to increase its flights to around 500,000 per year and change flight paths, including overflying new areas, even before any third runway.

Ms Russell added: “We have already made clear our objection to the expansion of Heathrow, but aviation authorities and operators must prioritise the health and well-being of Londoners and give us a break.”

The report made other demands, including:

Asking the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise to regulate noise disturbances from airports more strictly and mapping the combined effect of noise pollution for all of London’s airports.

Calling for flight paths to be rotated to give people respite living under concentrated flight paths a break from airplane noise.

Calling on airports to stop late night and early morning flights.

Groups campaigning against the Heathrow expansion welcomed the report.

Rob Barnstone, the co-ordinator of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “London is set to be severely impacted by plans to expand Heathrow, in an already overcrowded airspace. This means the lives of Londoners, living in some cases many, many miles from Heathrow, are to be blighted by noise from planes.

“The sensible recommendations in this report should be implemented by the aviation authorities at the very earliest opportunity.”

Jackie Clark, the chairman of the Stop Heathrow Expansion group, said the health and wellbeing of people being impacted by Heathrow is “paramount” and called on Heathrow to make sure a ban on night flights is extended to eight hours each night.

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See also:

Report from London Assembly says due to noise, air traffic should NOT increase at Heathrow or London City airport

The London Assembly’s Environment Committee has produced a report on aircraft noise, particularly now that Heathrow not only wants a 3rd runway, but has also recently announced plans for 25,000 extra flights a year, bringing new areas of London under its flight paths. The noise is increasing the negative impact for those who have no choice but to live with a debilitating noise invasion. The report found that noise nuisance levels are unacceptable; it calls for a halt on all air traffic growth at Heathrow and London City airports. The report details the impact of altitude, flight paths and out-of-hours flights on the noise suffered by many Londoners. Among its recommendations are that the noise thresholds for disturbance should be lowered, to take account of people needing to open their windows. They say: “Air traffic at Heathrow and London City should not increase and Heathrow’s third runway should not go ahead.” It also says that planes should be kept higher, and the impacts of noise from both Heathrow and London City should be considered together, not separately. Night flights should be stoped, and there should be better restrictions on flights in the early morning.

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