Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Advertising industry anticipating a bonanza of increased ad possibilities from expanded Heathrow
The advertising industry is salivating about the advertising opportunities it hopes will come from a new Heathrow terminal and runway. There are hopes for hugely more hoardings and outdoor adverts around the airport, as well as in terminals. By the time the expansion might take place, after 2026, "through vastly increased computing processing power and more easily accessible data sets, the opportunities available to airport advertisers will most likely be multi-sensory, integrated, ultra-targeted communications, far beyond what’s available today. Through this development, brands will find a way to be a seamless part of the traveller’s experience." ... "targeting will go beyond the airport as those travelling by coach to catch a flight could be served with ads for holiday insurance along the motorway."..."advertisers must also consider the unique mind-set of the airport traveller. Consumers are both enjoying down time away from the daily routine, and simultaneously anticipating the excitement of a departure. This unique state of mind, combined with dwell time, opens up opportunities for brands to offer key life moment purchases, for example a new car or mortgage." And yet more nauseating consumer stuff, generating more excess consumption in association with more air travel.
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“Back Heathrow” tries to blame councils for having to spend money, defending themselves against its runway plans
The lobby group funded and staffed by Heathrow, "Back Heathrow", has had the (ill judged) nerve to criticise councils for spending money to oppose their expansion plans. Back Heathrow has attacked Hillingdon Council for spending more than £800,000 between 2007 and August 2016 on fighting the 3rd runway, while cutting public services. Back Heathrow say Hillingdon is having to make cuts of £309,000 in early support service and children’s centres, with the threat of £100,000 more cuts next year. And they complain that Richmond has spent nearly £109,000 opposing Heathrow expansion between 2007 and 2014 - and so on with other councils. Heathrow is trying to give the impression that residents in these boroughs want the runway, and councils are wasting money. They ignore the inconvenient fact that there is huge opposition to the runway within these councils, and the councils can see not only the effect of noise, air pollution and congestion the runway would cause, but also the social and infrastructure stresses - for example, on housing demand. Heathrow's plans are costing, and could continue to cost, these councils a great deal of money. Heathrow is responsible for a lot of public money that taxpayers would have to fork out, to deal with the impact of its expansion.
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Teddington Action Group on the new NATS, airlines etc campaign – “Sky’s the Limit” or Pie in the Sky?
In their blog, the Teddington Action Group (TAG) say the intention of the aviation industry to vastly increase the numbers of flights, while miraculously reducing the number of people affected by noise, is nonsense. TAG says the Government needs to stop, take stock and remember that aviation demand must be managed rather than increased. Recently the ‘Sky’s the Limit’ campaign was launched by NATS (the partly privatised air navigation service) with airlines and airports. It hopes people will believe that the UK airspace is facing gridlock because the projected number of flights per year could be 3 million by 2030. But, don’t worry folks, the problem can be solved by airspace modernisation or the Future Airspace Strategy (FAS). By designing new routes with steeper climbs and descents, and aircraft flying routes with greater accuracy (i.e. concentrated flight paths), NATS will be able to pack in more and more flights (= more profit) - with fewer people impacted by noise. NATS keeps very quiet about the impact on those unfortunate enough to live under the concentrated routes whose lives and communities will be blighted. Do we really want children in schools round Heathrow having to shelter in earthquake huts in their playgrounds, to avoid the deafening roar of aircraft? The demand of frequent flyers for more choice and cheaper flights cannot justify the burden of noise inflicted on affected communities along Heathrow flight paths.
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HACAN signs up to a joint statement with Heathrow airport on an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA)
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.”
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Chair of Treasury Cttee, Andrew Tyrie, again asks Hammond and Grayling about unclear Heathrow economic benefits
An influential Tory MP has questioned the evidence behind Heathrow expansion, suggesting the Government may have gone to exceptional lengths to find a methodology that made the case. In a letter to chancellor Philip Hammond and transport secretary Chris Grayling, the chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Andrew Tyrie, said the Treasury has specifically requested the rarely used ‘net public value’ investment measure be included in its assessment. Mr Tyrie pointed out that of the 4 investment measures used to evaluate the 3 runway proposals, only this seldom-used "net public value" measure presents a clear case for a 3rd runway at Heathrow. He asked the ministers where this measure has been used before on major infrastructure. Mr Tyrie also said that the DfT document published on 25th October acknowledged that 'the Net Present Values (NPVs) for some of the options could potentially be negative under some demand scenarios… " but the DfT is only considering one scenario. And he asks that figures are produced for all the scenarios [but does not say if he wants carbon capped as well as carbon traded], not just one. He also says assessing demand growth for a period of over 20 years, or even 30 years, is ‘not in line with the guidance issued by the Department for Transport’. He asks that figures with demand capped at 20 and 30 years should be produced.
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Changes to London City Airport flight paths increase noise pollution, say campaigners
Greenwich and Lewisham residents are urged to contact London City airport and local politicians with their concerns about the NATS (National Air Traffic Services) programme to ‘modernise’ the airspace. Changes to London City Airport’s flight paths might have resulted for increased noise pollution for Greenwich and Lewisham residents. London City has implemented changes by NATS that result in narrower flight paths in the hope of improving "efficiency." This has means more concentrated plane noise over areas like Catford, Lee and Eltham. Campaign group Hacan East has opposed the changes and is trying to get the decision reversed. Greenwich and Lewisham London Assembly member Len Duvall said: “It is vital that residents who are suffering from increased noise pollution make their voices heard on this important issue .... There is technology available on the airport’s website which can help people track which flights are making noise near them." Len Duvall said: “I would urge anybody effected not only to contact the airport but to also get in touch with me, their local council or their MP.” The airport will be reviewing the flight paths in early 2017 and will be taking feedback from residents.
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Heathrow extends compensation offer (value +25%) to small businesses with rateable value below £34,800
Heathrow has said this month that it WILL, after all, extend its limited compensation offer to small businesses. Small businesses within the compulsory acquisition zone with a rateable value less than £34,800, would be eligible for the same terms as the property offer set out to homeowners, which is full value + 25%. For larger businesses with a rateable value greater than £34,800, compensation will be provided in accordance with statutory requirements. That means some local businesses could still be excluded, as the offer has not been extended to the same zone as the householder scheme. Also, only those directly facing demolition or compulsory acquisition by the airport will be eligible. With the Colnbrook By-pass itself set to be closed and rerouted, that could mean some businesses forced to close with no compensation at all. Heathrow said: "We do not currently intend to start purchasing properties until development consent has been received from the Government. Our current expectation is this will be sometime in 2020." It will be contacting each business affected over the coming months to hold individual meetings. It also says it is looking at measures that it might be able to put in place to assist with business relocation. People can only apply for compensation once the construction of the runway starts, and until only one year after the runway is operational.
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Hundreds of Heathrow villages residents attend public meetings against 3rd runway plans
Hundreds of local residents attended 2 public meetings held by John McDonnell (MP for Hayes and Harlington) on 8th and 9th December, about the proposed 3rd runway at Heathrow. At the meeting at Harlington Baptist Church Hall local people spoke about the threat to Harlington that a new runway would bring - such as being situated at the end of the runway, bringing unbearable new noise levels to the village. At the meeting at Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre, residents were particularly concerned about increased traffic congestion and air pollution, from the airport boundary being much closer to them. It would be just 200 metres from some West Drayton residents. John McDonnell said: “The message from these public meetings couldn’t be clearer: local residents are going to fight this runway all the way. A third runway at Heathrow is undeliverable and I believe we will stop it from ever being built. ... The decision by this Government to build a third runway was shameful and remains a huge threat to local residents who face losing their homes, schools, community centre and village life. And when you add in the air pollution, noise and climate change concerns then it becomes even more obvious that this runway makes no sense.” More public meetings are expected in Hayes in January.
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How intense plane noise inflicted on sensitive people can be intolerably cruel. Read the blog
In a blog, written for HACAN, someone who is very badly affected by aircraft noise shares his story. It makes shocking, and very sad, reading. The writer moved somewhere 10 miles from Heathrow, about 10 years ago, and at that time there was no plane noise issue. Now the controllers of airspace have changed the way flight paths are used, so planes leaving Heathrow generally fly on very narrow, concentrated routes. This means that noise which would previously have been spread out over about 3km is now channelled down a track just a few hundreds of metres wide. Plane after plane after plane flies down this one track, causing a level of noise that can be life-changing for those unlucky enough to be below. The author expresses his misery and despair at finding his home now bombarded by intense, almost continuous noise, when the winds are from the east. He has had to leave his job, as the lack of sleep, the depression, the anxiety and the disruption to his life has had too great an impact on him. He says on one day, in utter despair with tears rushing down his face "the only thing that stopped me was my dog had come up to me and pushed my hands away from my face with his nose. I looked at him, gripped his lead, run with him to the car and drove off to the countryside, just to get away from the noise." Industry - take note. The noise from planes at Heathrow can have serious impacts on people. It is time this was properly acknowledged by government, and not conveniently ignored for political convenience.
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Heathrow expansion ‘will cause travel chaos’ in west London, Val Shawcross, Deputy Mayor for Transport warns
Speaking at the London Assembly Committee on Transport, Val Shawcross CBE (Deputy Mayor of London for Transport) said Heathrow expansion risked 'log-jamming' west London transport links. She warned that adding a 3rd Heathrow runway could cause travel chaos in west London. Val said proposed Crossrail links and a planned upgrade to the Piccadilly line would not be enough to ensure a smooth flow of traffic to an expanded Heathrow. Both Crossrail one and the Piccadilly line upgrade, which are going ahead, were just planned for the existing growth in demand, from population growth. Their expansion is not sufficient to deal with the extra demand from a 50% larger Heathrow. Val raised concerns that "we are in danger of completely log-jamming the public and road transport networks around west London if we do not do the additional high capacity infrastructure.” Also building Southern Rail access to Heathrow risked inconveniencing existing train passengers; they and the existing population should be properly taken into account. With the 3rd runway, the number of passenger's using Heathrow could rise from around 200,000 per day to 300,000. Of those, about 75,000 passengers currently use public transport while 125,000 travel by car. That means a massive increase in numbers of passengers, and also larger numbers of staff in and around the airport, all also using public transport