Airport News
Below are news items relating to specific airports
GACC critical of Gatwick’s promises – unless part of legal agreements signed before any runway consent
Gatwick’s latest leaflet to those that live around Gatwick is full of promises but provides no guarantees and misses much of the details, as usual. GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) has suggested to the Airports Commission that they need to make sure that all the attractive looking promises made by the airport are real, and not just part of their publicity campaign - to be forgotten when the airport is sold. The promises should not unduly sway a decision about a 2nd runway, unless the airport can be compelled to keep their word. The reality is that there is no method of enforcing the various undertakings being made by Gatwick, other than by legal agreements. However, any new legal agreement would need to be negotiated before approval is given in principle for the runway, otherwise all bargaining power would be lost. GACC submitted this fact to Crawley Borough Council this week, which seemed to be unaware of it. Signing binding legal agreements would prove the airport's sincerity about its offers, rather than just using them for PR purposes. Gatwick is promising some compensation to a small number of people; it is promising £5,000 per house built for a Gatwick employee; £10 million towards motorway widening; and that landing charges would not rise above £15 till 2030.
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Heathrow “Community Noise Forum” to get independent study into continuing changes (or not) to flight paths
In December 2014 Heathrow decided to set up a "Community Noise Forum" to set up dialogue with deeply upset and angry community groups - and try to build up some trust. There is already a separate “Noise Forum.” The Community Noise Forum consists of representatives of the Airport, the CAA, NATS, BA, local authorities, community organisations and campaign groups. One key task of the new Forum is to try to resolve the dispute between Heathrow and the communities affected by the flight path trials. These took place last year, and while the airport is adamant that the situation has returned to the pre-trial pattern, residents in areas such as Ascot, Teddington, Englefield Green, Lightwater, Binfield and Bracknell, are adamant that it has not. The Forum is to commission an independent study (it has to be independent) to look at the flight paths before the trials, during and afterwards. The aim is to see whether flight paths post-trial really have gone back to their pre-trial routes, or not. The independent study will also look into whether any other changes had taken place. Heathrow can give technical assistance and will pay for the study. A steering group will draw up the brief for the study, and report back to the Forum.
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Why the ruling by the Supreme Court on air pollution could stop plans for a new SE runway
The Supreme Court has ruled that the Government must produce a new action plan by the end of this year for bringing air pollution within legal limits. A decision to allow another Heathrow runway could be legally challenged unless the Government's new plans are sufficiently ambitious to reduce emissions of a 2 runway airport below the legal limit - and also leave enough headroom to accommodate the negative impact of a 3rd runway. There is only pure speculation on how it could be achieved. The court ruling also suggests that the cost-benefit analysis for adding a runway will need to be revised, as the Government has previously claimed that complying with air quality law would be too expensive. And this does not only affect Heathrow, but Gatwick too. Gatwick is keen to claim it does not have a poor air quality problem. But EU regulations require not only that poor air quality must be improved but also that good air quality should be protected. A 2nd Gatwick runway would mean local air pollution hotspots, with a risk of breaching the legal limits. The Airports Commission has a duty to the public not to recommend a project that would significantly damage people's health. It would also be a poor use of taxpayer's money to make recommendations that invite a legal challenge.
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Edinburgh Airport unveils 5 month trial of flight path to boost the airport’s capacity
Edinburgh Airport has unveiled details of a 5-month trial of a new flight path for aircraft taking off to the west, in a bid to increase capacity. The Airspace Trial, which will begin on 25 June, will introduce a new SID route, the purpose of which is to allow more flights to use the runway, and allow aircraft to take off at one-minute intervals. This is to "allow the airport to maintain safe and sustainable growth without affecting punctuality." Most of the time the flights take off to the west and there are currently 3 SID routes - known as Grice (which goes north), Gosam (which goes south west) and Talla (south). The new route - Tutur - will see aircraft take off in a south westerly direction and turn right towards the River Forth, passing over West Lothian and to the east of Linlithgow. The settlements worse affected, with planes at 1900 - 2000 feet, would be Uphall and Dechmont. Map Aircraft will climb as they turn, to fly over the coast and down the Firth of Forth passing North Queensferry, and then fly back over land at approximately 13,000ft near Musselburgh. The airport says the aircraft using the trial route are likely to be their least noisy (B737s, A319, A320, A321, 787 and A330s). The airport says the trial would monitor the impact on local communities, and noise monitors would be placed along the flight path to collect data on the flights.
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Landmark air pollution ruling by Supreme Court could scupper 3rd runway at Heathrow due to high NO2 level
The UK Supreme Court has quashed the Government’s ineffective plans to cut illegal levels of air pollution in Britain and ordered it to deliver new ones by the end of the year. The Supreme Court Justices were unanimous in their decision, saying: “The new Government, whatever its political complexion, should be left in no doubt as to the need for immediate action to address this issue.” This could have implications for a 3rd runway at Heathrow, as areas around the airport continue to be stubbornly above the EU legal limits. That is due both to air pollution from the planes in addition to the huge amount of traffic on the M4 and M25. In their verdict, 5 judges ordered the Secretary of State at DEFRA to consult on strict new air pollution plans that must be submitted to the European Commission by 31 December 2015. The EU Air Quality Directive demanded the UK brought pollution down to legal limits by 2010 or apply for an extension by 2015. But the government in 2011 said that a number of areas, including London, would be unable to comply by 2015 and instead argued the law allowed it to comply "as soon as possible". The judgement marks a victory for the campaigning legal firm ClientEarth. HACAN commented: "This is a potential show-stopper as far as a 3rd runway is concerned."
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Why Schiphol will never become ‘Heathrow’s 3rd runway’ – it has tight noise and ATM limits
We are routinely told that, if Heathrow doesn’t expand, people from other UK airports like Newcastle, Edinburgh and Liverpool will choose to fly to Schiphol (Amsterdam) to interchange onto long-distance flights. The CEO of Schiphol Airport has even rather cheekily called it ‘Heathrow’s third runway’ or referred to Amsterdam as "London's 2nd hub." However, John Stewart explains that this is not a situation that can continue indefinitely. Though Schiphol has 5 runways, in reality only two can be used at one time. And unlike airports in the UK, Schiphol has strict noise regulations about which runways can be used, and when. The use of the two runways which go over densely-populated areas is avoided whenever possible. Schiphol has almost reached its permissible noise limits, with around 425,565 flights last year - and a limit of 510,000 per year (cf. 480,000 at Heathrow). When the noise from planes using one runway reaches a certain point, no more is allowed in that year, and traffic should be diverted to alternative runways. The system in use at Schiphol to protect residents from aircraft noise is more rigorous than in the UK, and the Dutch take their noise responsibilities on aircraft noise too seriously to allow Schiphol to become effectively a UK hub.
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Great majority of election candidates around Gatwick oppose a 2nd runway
GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) members have carried out a survey of the views of parliamentary candidates about a new runway at Gatwick. All 11 Conservative Parliamentary candidates in the seats around Gatwick (Crawley, Horsham, Arundel and South Downs, Mole Valley, Reigate, East Surrey, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Mid Sussex, and Wealden) oppose a 2nd runway. So do all Green Party candidates. So do all UKIP candidates. Almost all Lib Dem candidates oppose a 2nd runway - except for a few; the odd ones out being the candidates for Crawley and Horsham. The Labour candidates are about equally divided, half for and half against the runway. Many of the candidates have now signed a pledge against the runway, appreciating the runway would produce an increase in aircraft noise, worsened environment and lack of infrastructure such as roads, rail, schools and hospitals. At the national level both the Labour and Conservative manifestos say in effect that they will wait for the recommendations of the Airports Commission (expected June/July). At the Lib Dem conference last year a resolution supporting a Gatwick runway was overwhelmingly defeated, and their manifesto reflects this policy but leaves a little wriggle room if the Airports Commission comes up with "compelling new evidence."
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Heathrow finally completes £4.8 million of insulation work on schools etc – after 10 years
Heathrow has finally finished installing noise insulation at the 42 schools and other community buildings (31 in Hounslow) where it promised in 2005 to carry out the work. It has taken 10 years, and it cost Heathrow £4.8 million. Heathrow said in 2005 it would install double glazing and make other improvements to minimise the din from aircraft, at selected schools etc under its flight paths. Now, pressing for a runway, John Holland-Kaye ensured the work under the Community Building Noise Insulation scheme was completed this April. Part of the cost is the adobe buildings for school playgrounds, in which children can be taught "outdoors" under the dome. How being inside an adobe dome counts as being "outdoors" is a mystery. The adobe buildings have cost £1.8 million, from Heathrow, and have been installed in 5 schools in Hounslow and Slough - with 5 more due to be completed in Hounslow this year. If Heathrow gets a 3rd runway, it has "promised" to spend £700 million insulating homes, schools and other buildings affected by aircraft noise - more than 20 times the £30 million currently on offer. But is it not saying if it will make any improvements, if it does not get a runway. John Stewart, chairman of HACAN, said: "What's important is that further insulation should not be dependent on a third runway."
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Newham Council lacks the bravery of Boris to turn down unsuitable developments like City Airport expansion
On Saturday 25th April there was a local celebration party for people living in the Royal Docks area, close to London City Airport. They held their party to celebrate the fact that the London Mayor Boris Johnson had overturned Newham Council’s decision to grant permission for London City airport to expand. Local children have formed a lively choir, and they entertained the assembled guests. People who suffer from the noise from the airport are delighted that Boris has helped them, and opposed the airport’s environmentally-destructive plans that have been backed by the (Labour) Newham council. Though Newham argues that the airport would bring jobs for local people and local economic benefits, it actually provides little of either. No more than about 500 Newham residents are employed directly by the airport. The business passengers don't linger round the airport, but head off to business meetings in the City or the West End. It was clear at Saturday’s event that the local community regards the airport on their doorstep not as a benefit but as problem which brings noise, air pollution and blight. They feel they might be better off with something else there. Compared to the nearby Excel Centre it provides far fewer jobs or wider economic benefit.
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Crispin Blunt, Kwasi Kwarteng and Sam Gyimah send open letter to Gatwick Chairman blasting Gatwick 400,000 Heathrow leaflets stunt
Crispin Blunt, Kwasi Kwarteng and Sam Gyimah (all Surrey MPs in the Coalition government and Conservative candidates) have written to Gatwick Airport Chairman, Sir Roy McNulty, to complain about Gatwick's leafletting of the Heathrow area. Gatwick has sent out provocative leaflets to some 400,000 households in constituencies around Heathrow, pushing the case for a Gatwick runway. It is doing this at the same time as failing to engage with local communities around its own airport. Gatwick is trying to frighten residents around Heathrow, about the appalling noise and other environmental and economic impacts of a 3rd Heathrow runway. Instead it pushes Gatwick's negative and unbalanced campaign for its runway. The MPs say Gatwick's actions demonstrate "an astonishing disregard for the concerns of families and communities around Gatwick, about whom you should have most concern." They say: "Instead of frightening the communities around your competitor, you should focus on engaging with the communities that surround your airport." "If Mr Wingate or his team had taken the time to adequately consult with his local communities ...[Gatwick would know] ... there are wide ranging concerns about the huge strain Gatwick expansion would place on local transport infrastructure, housing, schools and healthcare."