Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
Letter: “Prison sentences for Heathrow 13 activists would threaten our right to protest”
A range of high-profile signatories have sent an open letter to the Guardian, in support of the Heathrow 13, who occupied part of Heathrow's northern runway on 13th July 2015. They say that giving the activists prison sentences would be unjust and disproportionate, for what they did - and would represent a “massive threat” to the right to peaceful protest in the UK. Those signing the letter include MPs John McDonnell and Caroline Lucas, as well as key people in Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, NEF, NUS, and a range of environmental and social campaigning organisations. The letter says "prison is an utterly disproportionate punishment, and would mark yet another example of heavy-handed treatment leading to the suppression of political dissent in the UK today." The 13 members of "Plane Stupid" were found guilty in January of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome. District judge Deborah Wright said the “astronomical costs” of their action to Heathrow, with 22 flights cancelled, meant likely jail sentences on 24th February. This would be very unusual, for first offences. One of the lawyers for the Heathrow 13 said civil disobedience had a “constitutional role” to play in a democracy, and that conditional discharge was usually the starting point for this offence.
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Belfast residents claim planned airport expansion would make it one of 5 loudest in UK
George Best Belfast City Airport could become one of the UK's five noisiest if controversial expansion plans to allow the airport to have more than 2 million passengers per year are allowed. Dr Liz Fawcett, of Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW), gave evidence to the Regional Development Committee at Stormont, saying that some 18,000 people could be affected by noise if the expansion goes ahead. She called for an independent regulator to be set up, to strike a better balance between commercial interests and nearby residents' well-being. They also want robust fines for airlines. Recently the Planning Appeals Committee recommended that the 2 million limit should be lifted – provided that other noise control measures are put in place. More than 50,000 people across Belfast and north Down are affected by undesirably high levels of aircraft noise. That number is higher than at Gatwick or at Stansted. Dr Fawcett said if the airport is allowed its expansion, it could become one of the five noisiest in the UK in terms of population impact. It would also just mean the transfer of passengers and jobs from Belfast International airport. BCAW also wants airport planning agreements to be properly implemented and enforced. The airport continues to press for the greater number of passengers.
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Edinburgh airport declares its (fiercely opposed) TUTUR flight path trial a “technical success”
Edinburgh Airport, owned by GIP, ran the deeply unpopular flight TUTUR path trial in mid 2015. The aim was to get aircraft off the tarmac every minute at peak times – such as early morning – rather than every two minutes as is currently the case. And that would help increase the value of the airport, for GIP. Due to intense opposition and thousands of complaints about noise, it was ended two months early. Scottish journalist, Gina Davidson, has written about the problems. Edinburgh airport says it wants to be a good neighbour, but dismissed the mass of complaints about TUTUR as being from a ‘relatively small number of people, living in pockets of West Lothian.’ Unsurprising the airport announced this week that the trial had been a “technical success”.For overflown communities, such as Broxburn, Uphall, Linlithgow, and Blackness, it was not a success. And many of them are sure that even now, planes have not reverted to the old routes - but are still over-flying their homes. Edinburgh airport knows it will have a battle on its hands should it decide to attempt to make the TUTUR route permanent. There is now also a petition about noise in Cramond and Barnton, which are also facing more take-offs over them, in some wind conditions. Opposition is getting organised.
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Figures reveal that passenger journeys to and from Heathrow are increasingly been made by road
New statistics from the DfT reveal that passenger journeys to and from Heathrow airport are increasingly been made by road. The figures, issued in response to a FoI request made by the Teddington Action Group (TAG), show that passenger journeys by car and taxis rose by 2,000,000 in 2014 (the last year for which figures are available). In 2013, the aggregate number of private car and taxi/minicab journeys was 25 million. In 2014 they had risen to 27 million (an increase of nearly 10%). TAG says this trend would appear to call into question the assertion made by John Holland Kaye (CEO of Heathrow) on 4th November 2015 to Parliament's EAC, that there has been no increase in polluting vehicular journeys in the vicinity of the airport. He had been asked how Heathrow could meet Air Quality targets with a 3rd runway (when an increase of up to 54% in passenger journeys to and from the airport might be anticipated). Heathrow has a show-stopper problem for its runway plans, from air pollution. It needs to get its passengers and its staff to get to (and from) the airport by rail. In 2014, 59% of passengers arrived by car, taxi or minicab. Another 13% arrived by bus or coach. 28% arrived by rail or by Tube. Getting passengers out of their cars will be hard. The air pollution from Heathrow's air freight is already a problem, let alone if volume was doubled.
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Patrick McLoughlin evidence to Transport Cttee – he “very much hoped” to give runway location decision by July
The Commons Transport Committee held an oral evidence session on 8th February, inviting Transport Secretary of State, Patrick McLoughlin, to comment on the decision by the government to delay a statement on the location of a possible new runway. The tone of the session was that the Committee was eager for a decision to be made rapidly, with concern that undue time was being taken. Mr McLoughlin explained that even an EU referendum in June would not rule out a decision before Parliament's summer recess. He said though there has been a delay, partly due to air pollution problems and the VW "defeat" scandal, he hoped the government was ensuring all necessary research had been done, to minimise the chance of legal challenges causing yet further delays. The timetable the government is working to is a runway by 2030, though Heathrow and Gatwick would prefer it to be by 2025. Mr McLoughlin said he "very much hoped" there would be a statement to Parliament at least several days before summer recess (starts 21st July) to allow time for MPs to comment etc. He stressed how the 2008 Planning Act would make pushing a runway through fast, and gave the various timings, with only 6 months for a planning inquiry and examination in public.
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Holland-Kaye still not prepared to accept ban on night flights before 6am, even to get 3rd runway
Heathrow's CEO, John Holland-Kaye, says the airport has yet to "engage" with the government and airlines about the possibility of ending night flights, before making any commitment. A ban on flights before 6am was one of the conditions the Airports Commission stipulated - in July - must be met for a 3rd runway to be built at Heathrow. But 7 months after the publication of the commission's report, Heathrow is still avoiding giving any confirmation it is prepared to accept that requirement. In December the government announced there would be a further delay in making a runway location decision, which cam as an unpleasant surprise to Heathrow - which had presumed it would be given the nod, but with a range of conditions. Holland-Kaye has tried to avoid any condition on his hoped-for runway, that might be irksome or costly. He continues to make bullish statements about how likely he feels the runway will be approved. He tries to make out that there would be fewer night flights with a 3rd runway.... and he is yet to "engage" with the government on the subject. Heathrow, in its PR, mistakes local support for a 3rd runway by people employed by the airport, or hoping to work there - for (quite different) support more widely among those not depending on Heathrow for their income.
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Belfast City Airport campaigners call for independent airport noise regulator to look after interests of residents
Because of its geographical location, the noise created by Belfast City Airport flights affects a large number of people in the city. The local campaign, Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) is an umbrella group representing more than a dozen local community organisations, and works to limit the noise they suffer. BCAW's Dr Liz Fawcett told committee members the establishment that the creation of a powerful independent airport noise regulator in Northern Ireland would help strike a better balance between commercial interests and nearby residents' well-being. It should ensure conformity with existing noise control measures. The airport is currently capped at 2 million passengers per year, but wants to increase this number - which would mean a considerable increase in the noise. BCAW say if the 2 million cap was raised, it could turn the airport into one of the noisiest in the UK. They want an independent noise regulator to deal effectively with public complaints and produce "meaningful" 5-year action plans aimed at minimising aircraft noise. They also want a wider airports strategy for Northern Ireland, considering how routes are shared between the two Belfast airports, to complement Dublin airport, without duplication of routes.
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Construction firms – wanting the lucrative work – urge George Osborne to support third Heathrow runway
Thirteen of Britain's largest construction and development firms (including the bosses of Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, Laing O'Rourke, Mace,Atkins UK, and BAM Nuttall), have written to George Osborne, urging him to live up to his declaration that "we are the builders" by supporting the building of a third runway at Heathrow. As one comment under the article puts it: "Construction companies advocating a big construction project. Whatever next?....." The letter to the Chancellor says Heathrow has provided a "steady base of work" during the economic downturn and expansion would bring "a £15.6 billion order book to the UK supply chain". They also try to encourage the Chancellor by saying the OECD considers the UK has historically underspent on infrastructure, partially due to "long decision-making processes". The construction companies, which of course stand to gain massively from the building project, say: "We are writing to encourage your support for Heathrow expansion." It has been pointed out that you only have permanent jobs in construction if there is a new project to move on to, once one is complete.. Hence the construction firms are lobbying hard; they have expected work out of Heathrow, and may not have contingency should Heathrow not get the go head. The firms appear - conveniently - unaware of the very considerable economic and environmental problems that building a runway would create.
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Disappointing first results of Slough’s Strategic Partnership with Heathrow
In February 2015 Slough Borough Council formed a new "Strategic Partnership" with Heathrow, which the council hope would give it a privileged position and economic benefits, if a 3rd runway was approved. A new status report about the Partnership appears to have disappointed some councillors on the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The deal was said to be overall, at “amber” status. The ‘Heads of Terms working group’ has so far secured (unspecified) funding for business start-up, air quality monitoring, and employment training, but little else. Last quarter the Partnership saw joint traffic surveys paid for by Heathrow, saving the Council a claimed £50,000, and funding for an extension of the 7 series bus service, the main link for many of the 7,000 Slough residents working at Heathrow. Developing a more “mutually beneficial relationship” with Heathrow is now one of the key outcomes from Slough’s 5 Year Plan. But the Partnership has so far done nothing to deliver a programme of mitigation to offset the effects of the airport for the communities most impacted as set out in the agreement last February. It appears to just be a new funding stream for the Council. Strategic Partnership meetings are not advertised, not open to the public, and minutes are not published. There is meant to be better dialogue with residents.
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Changes brought in by NATS on February 4th means new noise ghettos in east London
On 4th February, NATS implemented the first phase of its LAMP (London Airspace Management Programme). It says this was approved by the CAA in November 2015. It means that routes into and out of London City airport will be altered, and routes will be concentrated – using PR-NAV (precision navigation). The changes involve use of a “point merge” system for arrivals, with the joining points to the ILS out at sea. They will mean all the planes from Westerly departures will be routed over for Bow, Leyton, Leytonstone, Wanstead, Redbridge, Barkingside, Collier Row and Harold Hill. For Easterly departures, all the planes will be routed over Barking Riverside, Dagenham, Elm park and Hornchurch. And for Easterly arrivals, all the planes will be routed over Bexley, Sidcup, New Eltham, Mottingham, Catford, Dulwich Village, Herne Hill, Brixton, Stockwell and Vauxhall. The changes are described by NATS in glowing terms – about “more efficient flights, saving fuel and reducing CO2 emissions, reducing noise, keeping aircraft higher for longer and minimising areas regularly overflown.” And, of course, enabling more flights to be crammed into crowded airspace – to enable the aviation industry to increase the number of flights. HACAN East is talking to its lawyers about a JR against the CAA for failure to consult.