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Latest news stories:
London City Airport expansion plan gets go-ahead but campaigners say it will create ‘noise ghettos and misery’
Newham Council has granted planning approval London City Airport's plans for an extended terminal, a new taxi-way and additional parking stands for larger aircraft. A new six-storey four-star hotel with up to 260 bedrooms will also be built on site. The expansion will increase the number of take-offs and landings at the airport from 70,000 a year to 111,000 and will almost double the number of passengers to 6 million a year by 2023. The number of aircraft stands will increase from 18 to 25, and the newer, larger planes they will accommodate will expand the airport’s reach from destinations in western Europe to Russia and North Africa. It has been described as a boost for London’s aviation capacity, while the arguments for and against a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick (or neither) continue. There are claims for a large number of jobs, and Newham believes many will be for their residents - and there are claims of huge economic benefit for the local and UK economy. The expansion involves the tripling of the size of the terminal to 51,800 ft square and will see the number of flights increase from 38 to 45 during peak morning and evening rush hour times. Building work, subject to final planning approval being given by Boris, is expected to start by the end of 2015, with the first new aircraft seen on the runway in 2016.
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Advertising Standards Authority finds Heathrow advert about increased trade breaches their code and is ‘misleading’
In October 2014 about 13 people send in official complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority, on claims being made by Heathrow in its adverts. The ASA looked at 7 different complaints, and considered that 6 passed their standards. However, on the claim by Heathrow in its ads headed:"Expand Heathrow and its's the economy that takes off" the statement "Direct flights to long-haul destinations build twenty times more trade with them than indirect flights" was found to breach the ASA code. The ASA say the claim was not adequately substantiated and that the ad therefore breached the Code, both by being misleading and by not having proper substantiation. The ASA say the advert "must not appear again in its current form." They have told Heathrow "to ensure that they held robust substantiation for absolute claims made in their future advertising." The ASA ruling also says the claim was presented as objective facts rather than an educated assumption and that Heathrow's own report "One Hub or None"itself cautioned that direct flights would not automatically lead to more trade and that multiple factors could influence the amount of bilateral trade.
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Gaping holes in Airports Commission’s analysis of airport expansion conceal potential environmental disaster
The Aviation Environment Federation, in their response to the Airports Commission consultation, says there are gaping holes in the Airports Commission's analysis of airport expansion. These conceal a potential environmental disaster. AEF says the Commission ran out of time to complete key pieces of research on greenhouse gas emissions and on air quality. AEF is calling on political parties not to accept the Commission's recommendations until all relevant evidence has been gathered and made available for public scrutiny. The gaps in the Commission's analysis include not completing local air quality modelling in time for the consultation, despite the Commission's assessment objective being "to improve air quality in line with EU air quality laws". Also not following the Committee on Climate Change's recommendation that the economic impact assessment of expansion must include the costs associated with meeting UK aviation emissions targets (which a nrw runway would probably breach); and not providing any analysis of how noise impacts would vary if different assumptions were made about the location of flight paths.
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CAA says: “Facing up to aviation’s environmental challenges is the key to building new runway”
In its response to the Airports Commission consultation, the CAA says the aviation industry and decision-makers need to be much more ambitious in confronting aviation’s environmental challenges – including improving compensation for communities - or else face the prospect that additional runway capacity may never be built. The CAA says local communities must not be expected to simply suffer the consequences of airport expansion. It says those delivering "the" new runway must do more to ensure communities can be confident that disturbance is minimised, and are "fully engaged in the expansion process." The CAA says without improved action to tackle aviation’s environmental impacts and more support for the communities that are affected, it is unlikely that any of the shortlisted schemes will ever come to fruition "leading to passengers facing higher charges, lower service standards and fewer routes to choose from, greatly limiting consumer choice and opportunity." Andy Haines, the CAA Chief Executive, said unless these issues are "comprehensively tackled” there may not be a runway.
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On final day of Commission consultation, Heathrow raises extent of its noise insulation offer, if it gets a 3rd runway
As part of its attempt to get acceptance for a 3rd runway, Heathrow has had to raise its offer on noise insulation. On the last day of the Airports Commission consultation, it has made a significantly better offer, saying it "could" (sic) pay around £700 million - which is £450 million more than its previous offer in May 2014. This would cover parts of the 55 Lden noise contour area. The number of people within that contour was 725,500 in 2006 and over 314,000 dwellings. Heathrow says their offer now covers about 160,000 homes, and they have included two new areas, not previously covered by their scheme (no map is published).Heathrow has now raised the quality of its noise insulation offer to match those already used in Europe - its current noise insulation offers are far below these. In its new scheme, Heathrow says homes in designated zones "stand to have" (not "will") the " full costs of their noise insulation covered by the airport. In addition, up to £3,000 in noise insulation would be offered to homes further away from the airport." This would be acoustic double glazing; ceiling over-boarding in bedrooms; loft insulation and ventilation. Many noise affected homes already have double glazing and loft insulation ... and still suffer noise. Gardens and parks cannot be insulated. Campaigners said the improved offer was welcome, and should be carried out even if no runway is built, as it illustrates how poor and miserly the insulation schemes have been in the past.
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Datchet residents step up campaign against Heathrow Airport expansion
People in Datchet have been encouraged to send in responses to the Airports Commission consultation, to try to oppose a Heathrow runway - that would devastate their village. Datchet Parish Council has been helping residents to raise awareness locally about the consultation, with volunteers distributing 2,500 flyers. People fear a new runway would mean Datchet would be ruined, but they fear the Heathrow Hub option even more than the Heathrow north west runway option, because it would be 2 miles closer, with 50% more flights than at present, and at half the height - at about 600ft above Datchet. A resident commented: "We have a human right to a quality of life just like everyone else in this country and we should not have to live in noise and pollution hell! Does Heathrow expect us never to go outside?"
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MPs deliver letter to David Cameron to remind him to keep his “no ifs, no buts, there will be no 3rd runway” promise
On Tuesday 3rd February MPs and campaigners against Heathrow expansion staged a protest at Downing Street reminding the Prime Minister of his statement before the 2010 election, when he said “no ifs; no buts; there will be no third runway.” Conservative MPs Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park & North Kingston) and Angie Bray MP (Ealing Central and Acton) will join the protest, with Kate Hoey MP (Vauxhall); Caroline Lucas MP (Green MP for Brighton Pavilion); Mary Macleod MP (Brentford and Isleworth); John McDonnell MP (Hayes and Harlington); John Randall MP (Uxbridge and South Ruislip); Andy Slaughter MP (Hammersmith); Adam Afriye (Windsor) and Baroness Jenny Tonge. John Stewart, chairman of HACAN, said: “We are deliberately targeting Downing Street because the decision about a new runway will be a political one. The politicians can override whatever recommendations the Airports Commission will come up with in the summer. This event once again demonstrates the cross-party nature of the opposition to a 3rd runway. It also shows the geographical spread of the current problems caused by Heathrow which can only get worse if a new runway is built. Representatives of groups from as far apart as Brockley and Teddington will be going into Downing Street.”
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Some of the many responses that have been sent in to the Airports Commission consultation
The Airports Commission consultation on its 3 short-listed runway options closed on 3rd February 2015. Responses have been sent in from a huge number of organisations, not to mention thousands of individuals. Heathrow and Gatwick have felt it necessary to blitz the south east (and further afield) with advertising, to get people to tell the Commission they want their runway. What the Commission actually wanted in responses - other than the airports' mass mailings - was considered comments on the 58 or so documents put out by the Commission, and comments on how they have carried out their appraisals, including things they have left out. They also ask how the runway schemes could be improved, or their negative impacts mitigated. The Commission will publish "all substantive, technical responses it has received" at the same time as it makes it recommendation on the runway some time in summer 2015. On this page, AirportWatch intends to put links to as many responses as possible - those which have been made public.
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GACC submits its response to Commission consultation – in what has been a “woeful week” for Gatwick runway
The response from GACC to the Airports Commission consultation emphasises all the environmental damage that would be caused by a 2nd Gatwick, and estimates that when the airport was operating at full capacity there would be around 100,000 more vehicles per day on the roads. Also around 90,000 more passengers per day on the trains - which would mean standing room only. GACC suggests that the eventual cost of a 2nd Gatwick runway could be twice as high as previously estimated. The cost of building a new underground station at East Croydon with a rail tunnel into central London (as indicated by the Airports Commission) plus the need to widen the M23 and M25, and to extend the M23 into London, plus the need to allow for climate change risks, could add an extra £10 billion to the £9.3 billion previously stated by the Commission. Most of this extra cost would fall on the taxpayer. According to Brendon Sewill, chairman of GACC: ‘This has been a woeful week for Gatwick. Virtually every County Council, Borough Council and District Council around Gatwick has voted to oppose a new runway. So have virtually every Town and Parish Council. So have virtually all the local Members of Parliament. The most woeful blow for Gatwick came when easyJet, Gatwick’s biggest airline, announced that it is opposing a new Gatwick runway.’
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Qatar Airways buys 10% stake in British Airways owner IAG
State owned Qatar Airways has bought a 9.99% stake in British Airways’ owner International Airlines Group, as part of its plan to become an ever larger part of global air travel. 'The fast-growing and well-financed Gulf airlines are a threat to US and European airlines. The Emirate now has a major role as a UK investor; it announced this week a deal to buy Canary Wharf. Qatar is also the largest shareholder in Barclays Bank and J Sainsbury, and the 2nd-largest investor in the London Stock Exchange. Doha-based Qatar Airways and IAG — which also owns Iberia — are now expected to forge closer working arrangements. BA and Qatar Airways already have a code-share agreement that enables their respective passengers to fly on some of the other airline’s flights, and these arrangements could be expanded. Qatar Airways (CEO is Akbar Al Baker - who says people in the UK should not be so touchy about aircraft noise ...) said it may increase its shareholding in IAG in future, although non-EU airlines are banned from owning majority stakes in EU carriers. The price of the recent Qatar purchase in IAG was not published, but is thought to be around £1.15bn. The Qatar Investment Authority has a 20% stake in Heathrow (HAL) creating possible conflicts of interest on landing charges.
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Hounslow spending on school improvement includes noise proofing a special needs school against aircraft noise
Work has started on a multi-million pound project to deliver improvements to a special needs school in Hounslow. A total of £9m is being invested in the redevelopment of the Lindon Bennett School, in Hanworth, to tackle the borough's shortage of places for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The school is located just outside the Heathrow 55 Lden noise contour, meaning that it suffers considerable aircraft noise, mainly from take offs towards the east. A total of 70 new places will be created and the school will be extended and remodelled to include specialist teaching spaces, classrooms, offices, a hall and kitchen areas. The 2-year scheme to redevelop Lindon Bennett School is part of a wider schools expansion programme to provide more school places across the borough. But the amount of aircraft noise experienced means "where over-cladding on the existing roof is required we have to greatly improve its sound reduction properties to ensure that the noise generated from planes on the flight path doesn’t affect the children’s learning experience." There is no indication that Heathrow will be contributing to the extra costs involved.
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Group of MPs from areas affected by Gatwick oppose its 2nd runway plans in their response to Commission
The group of MPs from the Gatwick area, the “Gatwick Co-ordination Group” says building a new Gatwick runway would be a disaster for the area, causing transport gridlock and “irreparable damage” to the surrounding towns and countryside. The group includes 6 Conservative MPs, and is informally backed by Francis Maude, Cabinet Office minister. In their submission to the Airports Commission consultation, the group say Gatwick's plans are “overwhelmingly opposed locally” and would provide much weaker economic benefits than expansion at Heathrow. Expanding Heathrow is considered by many to be almost politically impossible. If the Commission did recommend a Gatwick runway, there would be a political backlash. Charles Hendry MP said: “There isn’t a single local MP who is supporting Gatwick and there is only one local authority [East Sussex] supporting it.” Crispin Blunt, MP for Reigate, said: “A recommendation and decision for a 2nd runway at Gatwick would be a catastrophe for local communities and a disaster for the national interest.” It is thought that the Conservative Party will drop their opposition to a 3rd Heathrow runway - so far they just say they will consider the Commission's recommendations.
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Gatwick’s biggest airline, easyJet, backs new runway at Heathrow – not at Gatwick – in response to Airports Commission
In its submission to the Airports Commission consultation (closes 3rd February) easyJet, which is the major airline using Gatwick, has backed a new runway at Heathrow - rather than at Gatwick. EasyJet says a Heathrow runway would be in the best interests of passengers, as fares would be lower. Landing charges would have to rise substantially for a Gatwick runway, which does not suit easyJet or its low cost passengers. It makes on average £8 profit per passenger. Gatwick tetchily responded that easyJet's response was just based on its own "narrow commercial interests" and that easyJet feared the extra competition a 2nd Gatwick runway would bring. (One might have thought they could dream up a slightly better retort). easyJet said: “Heathrow is in the best interests of passengers as it has the greatest demand. It is clear that long-haul airlines want to expand at Heathrow and if they can’t, they will do so not at Gatwick but at other airports such as Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.” Easyjet also said: "We will respect the judgement of the Commission on [environmental] issues and our support for a runway at Heathrow is conditional on it meeting the relevant environmental conditions." EasyJet said it wanted to launch operations from Heathrow — although it would continue to use Gatwick - and a 3rd Heathrow runway would enable easyJet to base 30 aircraft there.
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KPMG analysis of global runway building, hoping to show UK being left behind, leaves out a runway…..
As a last minute bit of hype, to mark the close of the Airports Commission consultation, the pro-runway lobby "Let Britain Fly" commissioned a study by KPMG to look at plans in a range of countries to build runways. They produced an super-dooper graphic to persuade us all we are LOSING THE GLOBAL RACE (a term Heathrow especially likes to pepper its utterances with). Let Britain Fly is keen, as is Heathrow, to lead us to believe that the UK is to be "left behind" and that - using some highly distorted logic - unless the UK has a new runway (or two) all the UK's history, economic power etc will be cast aside, and we will become a backwater ..... Unfortunately the KPMG graphic is wrong in showing London having 6 runways. It actually has 7, including Southend (which has been celebrated by the industry as a London airport, and is officially recognised as such by the CAA). With 7 runways, the case being made by KPMG and "Let Britain Fly" falls apart. It shows London continuing to have more runways - even by 2036 - than any other city they compare, other than Beijing. Unfortunate that the KPMG analysis felt the need to distort the facts, in order to make its case - and in doing so, showed their assessment to be incorrect.
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Residents in Auckland, New Zealand, fighting the noise nuisance of planes over the city
People in Auckland New Zealand, are fighting the nuisance of aircraft noise, which has become a serious problem in recent years. The airport is close to the city, and aircraft frequently use flight paths over densely populated areas, as they turn either when landing or taking off. The problem has been made worse in the past year, because concentrated flight paths are being used, in the same way that is happening in UK, Europe, USA and everywhere. The concentrated routes are causing a lot of anger and distress. The local group is Auckland: The Plane Truth (ATPT), working hard to restore some peace and quiet for Auckland residents. ATPT says: "At the least, the noise is physically and emotionally taxing: at the worst, unbearable. Unable to cope, some residents have been forced to move house or to take medication for depression and anxiety, and so they can sleep." There is a petition, asking for a curfew at night, between 10pm and 7am because of the recent changes to flight procedures over Auckland, and the planned significant increases in traffic through Auckland Airport. The type of houses in Auckland, have weatherboard with tin roofing and single glazing. These are difficult to insulate against noise, exacerbating the problem.
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Opponents of 3rd Munich runway say the airport’s number of flights is still falling
Munich airport has been planning a third runway for some time, but opponents have succeeded in holding it back. The runway was considered necessary in 2007 and 2008, when the number of air passengers and the number of flights was growing. However, with the recession and with the use of larger planes by airlines like Lufthansa, which use Munich airport, there are now far fewer flights than there were at their peak. Runway opponents say that, in contrast to over-optimistic forecasts of future numbers of passengers and flights, the reality is that the airport now does not need another runway. In 2007 there were around 432,000 flights. In 2012 there were around 398,000. In 2013 there were around 382,000. The number has been declining steadily, even if the number of passengers and the amount of air freight is more constant. The airport management admit the forecasts were too high, but say the trend to ever larger planes will soon end, and the numbers of flights will rise. Opponents are using the falling numbers to fight the runway. The runway has permission but the decision is currently being reviewed by the Court., and the airport cannot yet start work on it.
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Detailed critique by Hillingdon Council of the Airports Commission’s failure to cover health issues adequately
In its response to the Airports Commission consultation, Hillingdon Borough Council has been highly critical of the Commission's failure to deal properly with health impacts of a new runway. They say a specific Health Impact Assessment (HIA) would have been the best way of addressing weaknesses on health matters. There is no proper baseline for the health and wellbeing status of local communities. They say it is inequitable that existing airport-related impacts are not considered as a key part of the overall assessment of the three schemes. "There seems to be an implicit weighting for economic development and against health evidence." Hillingdon say "it is unclear how local stakeholder feedback would be incorporated" on health issues. And "The Department of Health and Public Health England do not seem to have been consulted" during the Commission's work. "Aggregating positive and negative impacts is flawed and inequitable. The negative impact of noise cannot be ‘bundled’ together with the positive impact of employment, because most often the negative and positive impacts are experienced by different groups of people." "Impacts on children are not considered as part of this assessment either qualitatively or quantitatively. This is a significant omission." And so on. A long catalogue of failures and omissions.
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Mid Sussex District Council, and Wealden District Council both oppose Gatwick runway
Following a full discussion at the Scrutiny Committee for Planning and Economic Development on the 20th of January 2015, Mid Sussex District Councillors agreed to write to the Airports Commission to strongly oppose a 2nd Gatwick runway. The Council endorsed the opposition on 28th January. The Council is concerned about the impact of an expanded Gatwick on Mid Sussex, a predominately rural area, just one mile away from the current airport boundary. Infrastructure will not be adequate, and has not been properly assessed by the Commission. Councillors did not believe the possible economic benefits would outweigh the devastating impact of a runway.There are concerns about the impact on areas designated as National Park or High Weald. Wealden District Council agreed at a meeting on 28th January not to support the Gatwick runway. However, they felt a Heathrow runway would benefit the District more. Councillors are concerned about the pressure for more housing that a runway would create, and that there needs to be further work done on the environmental impact on the Ashdown Forest, particularly exhaust fumes from the extra vehicles. Other councillors expressed concern about flightpaths and noise.
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East Sussex County Council votes in favour of Gatwick 2nd runway by 27:19
At a full council meeting on Monday 26th January, East Sussex County Council voted to back a 2nd runway at Gatwick. Members voted by 27 to 19 in support of the runway. The vote came about because the Council is discussing and agreeing its response to the Airports Commission consultation on a new runway at either Heathrow or Gatwick (having decided, for political reasons, to discount the option of no new runway). There was a free vote and the vote was recorded. Many councillors from economically stressed areas to the south of the county were persuaded that there would be jobs, if there was a new runway. Much of the county is sufficiently far from Gatwick to avoid many of the negative consequences of a new runway. Some councillors hope they might also get better infrastructure, if there was a runway. Unfortunately, though there are jobs at Gatwick (many low paid and some may be on uncertain hours contracts) and people in need of jobs along the East Sussex Coast, the cost and difficulty of getting to Gatwick means the vacancies are not being filled by people from this area. Croydon etc are much closer to Gatwick, and easier to get to for work.
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Problem of how people bothered by aircraft noise can register many complaints
The Daily Mail is shares the glee of Heathrow in locating two people who had set up their computer to make automatic complaints about aircraft noise. This came to light, when after the clocks changed, the complaints about flights were made even before the plane had taken off..... Clearly not a proper complaint. However, the presumption is that one person should only make a small number of complaints, even if they find the aircraft noise they are exposed to is excessive. Heathrow appear to see the complaints line as for planes that are making a degree of noise that is greater than normal, or different. For people who are upset and annoyed by the noise, they may see every plane as upsetting and annoying. Airports are delighted if the number of noise complaints goes down, so the numbers matter. If people do not complain often, they are considered not to be annoyed. That requires people to make multiple complaints, but that takes a great deal of time and effort - hard to sustain while leading a busy life. John Stewart (HACAN) commented: 'I think its unfortunate that many residents felt they had to resort to these kinds of machines, but unfortunately they have been left with no choice but to have them. ....that shows how disturbed people were by the noise from the flight paths."
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Three new briefings ask “Can the UK build a new runway, and stay within the aviation carbon cap?”
The Airports Commission gives the impression that the issue of carbon emissions has been fully considered, and that a new runway can be accommodated within UK carbon targets. However, that is far from the truth. It is by no means clear that the UK aviation could stay within the 37.5 MtCO2 cap that is needed, in order for the UK as a whole to meet its legal climate obligations. Indeed, the Airports Commission itself is aware of this problem, and its own figures show the carbon emissions from UK aviation far exceeding the cap, over many years. For the clearest view of this, see the Commission's interim report, Technical Appendix, December 2013, Pages 71 & 72. Though there will be carbon efficiencies in coming decades, in CO2 per passenger kilometre, the scale of those improvements is unknown and many are just hypothetical. The widely accepted assumption has been that the matter is just which airport gets a runway - rather than whether a runway could be built at all. The carbon situation makes it clear that the debate is still very much "IF" a runway should be built, and not merely "WHERE?" New briefings help set out the facts, and show that building a new runway would mean UK aviation exceeds its carbon cap.
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Report by Oxera for Birmingham Airport criticises Commission’s analysis on impacts of Heathrow runway on regional airports
Birmingham Airport has commissioned a study by economic analysts, Oxera, to look at the Airports Commission's analysis of impacts of Heathrow expansion on regional airports - Birmingham in particular. Oxera believes a 3rd Heathrow runway would exacerbate, rather than reduce, regional imbalances and by sucking more business into the south-east, Heathrow expansion would just widen the north/south divide. Oxera say the methodology used by PwC, on behalf of the Airports Commission, could hide winners and losers in UK regions, and underplays the negative effect that Heathrow expansion could have on some UK regions. They believe there should be better analysis of where the national losses and gains would be, and how they would be distributed. CEO of Birmingham, Paul Kehoe, seems to be more in favour of a Gatwick runway, which presumably threatens Birmingham less. Kehoe said: “Whilst Heathrow is essential and must remain a world class airport for the UK and for the Midlands to grow, Heathrow must become complementary to Birmingham Airport. More capacity at Heathrow would limit our region’s ambitions.” The Midlands claims to be responsible for 16% of all UK exports.
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Crawley Borough Council votes by 25:11 to oppose 2nd runway at Gatwick
A special Full Council meeting of Crawley Borough Council has voted by 25:11 against a 2nd runway at Gatwick. The meeting was held on 26th January, to discuss the content of the Council's response to the Airports Commission consultation, and whether the Council would take no position, pro or anti the runway - or decide one way or the other. After two hours of debate, in front of a packed public gallery, a recorded vote was taken - it was a free vote, with councillors allowed to vote how they saw fit, rather than according to party lines. The suggested Cabinet wording was that "The Full Council considers that the interests of Crawley residents and businesses are best served by the Council objecting to a second runway being developed at Gatwick." The objection will be recorded in the council's response to the Commission. Five councillors – Stephen Joyce, Colin Moffatt, Chris Oxlade, Peter Smith and council leader Peter Lamb – felt the council should have agreed to take no specific view on the 2nd runway at this time. All five then voted not to object to the new runway. Most other local councils have also recently voted against the runway.
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Slough Borough Council lists its financial demands on Heathrow, if it gets a 3rd runway
Slough Borough Council is supportive of a 3rd runway at Heathrow. With Spelthorne, they are the only two councils near Heathrow that do back a new runway. Slough has now submitted their council response to the Airports Commission consultation, but it includes many points on which the council wants extra funding, if there is a new runway. Slough Council expects to be compensated for loss of council tax from residential properties, loss of business rates from commercial land lost; and loss of business rates from closure of the Colnbrook incinerator. They want Heathrow to pay for insulation of public buildings, especially schools, throughout the whole of Slough; fixed noise monitoring stations across all affected areas of Slough, with the airport paying for their operation; and replacement of the Grundon incinerator, with no break in service, all at Heathrow's expanse. They also expect extension of the Slough Mass Rapid Transit bus system to Heathrow, which has been halted due to lack of money. And Slough wants Heathrow to contribute towards the cost of air quality monitoring, recognising much is due to the airport. And the list continues ....
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Woodland Trust highlights inadequate recognition of woodland and biodiversity in Airports Commission documents
The Woodland Trust is urging people who intend to send in responses to the Airports Commission consultation to mention the omission of some vital environmental information. The Trust says trees and woodland habitats have had little mention, and the issue has not been given proper consideration. Either a Gatwick or a Heathrow runway would have serious consequences for woodland and trees, and other aspects of the natural world. The Woodland Trust believes woods and trees should not just be considered as amenity. Irreplaceable habitats like ancient woodland are just that - not replaceable. The Commission talks of ancient woodland as having ‘low replacability’ – but ancient woodland cannot be replaced. The Commission also makes little reference to the loss of ecosystem services, or the impacts of land take on biodiversity at a local or landscape scale. The need that everyone has for good quality, accessible green spaces is barely recognised. With threatened loss of 14 hectares of ancient woodland at Gatwick, with over 70 hectares woodland loss overall - and valuable ancient trees at risk around Heathrow, loss and permanent fragmentation of these precious habitats like these could have far wider implications.
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The stubborn 30% who remain opposed to a 3rd runway could be politically more important than those who support it
Heathrow airport frequently gets opinion polls done by Populus. These are phone polls, done by phoning randomly chosen numbers, in chosen boroughs. The script of the interviewer is not published, but earlier someone who received one of these calls wrote down as best she could at the time, the questions. There appeared to be some bias in the phrasing. Populus has not chosen exactly the same list of boroughs for their surveys, making comparison impossible. Heathrow says, in its survey conducted in 10 boroughs, between mid November and mid December 2014 that there was 50% net support for a 3rd runway, against 33% net opposition - from the boroughs of Spelthorne, Richmond Park, Brentford and Isleworth, Feltham & Heston, Windsor, Ealing Central & Acton, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Slough, Hayes & Harlington, and Twickenham. A survey carried out in 7 boroughs from late February to late March 2014 showed 48% net support, and 34% net oppose. A Populus survey of 6 boroughs in February to May 2013 showed 46% net support and 43% net opposition. A Populus survey in September 2007 (asking about a short 3rd runway) had 50% net support and 30% net oppose. So there really has not been a lot of change, though there are slight variations in the composition of the figures.
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London leads as the world’s top airline hub by a wide margin – by number of passengers through its 5 airports
Simon Calder, writing in the Independent, says that "far from Britain declining as an aviation superpower, the capital’s global lead over every other city in the world is increasing." Despite Heathrow being close the largest number of flights, London remains the world’s top airline hub by a wide margin (23%) - and is racing ahead of its closest rival, New York. There were a record number of air passengers using the 5 London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City airport) in 2014, and that was about 61% of all UK air passengers (same % as in 2013). Some 144.7 million passengers flew through London’s 5 commercial airports last year, which is the equivalent of 275 people - or one wide-bodied aircraft - arriving or departing every minute of every day of the year. Heathrow's number of passengers in 2014 rose 1.7% due to using larger aircraft, and the number of passengers using the 5 London airports rose 5% in 2014 compared to 2013. While London is by far the best connected city in the world, New York comes 2nd, Tokyo 3rd and Paris the only other European city in the top 10. The pre-eminence of London indicates that the UK economy is not losing out due to any lack of airport capacity. London comfortably leads world cities, for airport capacity.
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Gatwick hoping its “pledge” of £46.5 million if it gets 2nd runway will go towards a new Crawley hospital
The local Crawley press reports that Gatwick airport has said they will provide money to contribute towards the cost of a new hospital serving Crawley if they are allowed to build a 2nd runway. This is not a new offer - it was in their list of "pledges" put out in July 2014. However, last week Crawley Borough Council announced that it will tell the Airports Commission a new hospital for Crawley and Horsham must be built if Gatwick is expanded. Members of the council's overview and scrutiny commission debated a report by council officers that the Commission had "significantly underestimated" what healthcare needs would be created by expansion. Gatwick has said it would provide a £46.5 million fund for community infrastructure projects if there is a new runway. (There is doubt whether a future owner of Gatwick would be legally held to any pledges made now by GIP). Gatwick says it would provide just £5,000 per new house needed, and it estimates that number to be 9,300. ie. £46.5 million. But that would have to cover all areas, down to the coast, not only Crawley. Other figures of the cost of building a hospital put the cost at around £330 - £430 million. Local hospital facilities in the area are already under pressure.
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DEFRA National Noise Attitude Survey 2012 shows extent of interference from aircraft noise in people’s lives
DEFRA has produced the results of the National Noise Attitude Survey 2012, which looked at the extent to which noise from various sources is a problem to people. They compared the figures from 2000 with 2012. They found the 4 main sources of noise were ‘Road traffic noise’, ‘noise from neighbours and/or other people nearby’, ‘aircraft, airports and airfield noise’ and ‘noise from building, construction, demolition, renovation and road works.’ Though the numbers hearing these noises had remained (2000 - 2012) roughly the same, there is a strongly statistically significant increase in the proportion of respondents who report being bothered, annoyed or disturbed to some extent by these 4 noise sources. The number who consider themselves to be significantly adversely affected by aviation noise has risen from 2% to 4%, which is strongly statistically significant. DEFRA says: "it must not be forgotten that a small percentage still equates to a large number of people." The study showed that of the 510 people who put aviation noise in the top 3 sources that "bother, annoy or disturb" them, some 33% reported interference with sleeping; 24% reported interference with spending time in the garden or on the balcony / terrace; 23% said it interfered with having the windows or doors open; 23% said it interfered with listening to the TV, radio or music; and 23% said it interfered with concentration. (Section V2.8)
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High Court decision that RAF Northolt must have same safety standards for private jets as civilian airports
A legal judgement, brought by rival airports (Oxford and Biggin Hill) against RAF Northolt, says the CAA is the statutory regulator required to determine safety standards for civilian aircraft using government owned military aerodromes. This means Northolt will have to meet higher safety standards for business jets than those in place for military flights, and this will be expensive for them. As the number of military flights has fallen from Northolt, there have been more business jets - up to a total of 12,000 per year. The trigger for the current proceedings came in April 2012 when the MOD decided to increase the limit on civil flights at RAF Northolt from 7,000 to 12,000 movements. Ministers had repeatedly argued before that they didn’t need to meet stricter, costlier civilian safety standards and the CAA had no regulatory powers at military aerodromes. This meant that smaller private airports reliant on business jets were being significantly undermined, as RAF Northolt became a competitor without incurring the higher costs of complying with civilian safety standards. Although the arguments in the case have been about the application of safety standards, the motivation for the challenge is the claimant airports' commercial interests as competitors.
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Runnymede Council drops its support for Heathrow 3rd runway
At a meeting on Thursday 22nd January, Runnymede Borough Council voted against their previous pro-Heathrow expansion stance. Runnymede has became the first council to change from a position of supporting a new runway at Heathrow. A packed public gallery burst into applause when the council's Corporate Management Committee voted by six votes to three to change the policy. Many of the residents were from areas that had seen an increase in flight numbers during the recent trials by Heathrow. The Committee argued that the environmental downsides outweighed any economic benefits that Runnymede might get from expansion. Unfortunately the council voted instead to back a 2nd runway at Gatwick. The way the Airports Commission process has been conducted, the impression has been given that there will be a runway at either Heathrow or Gatwick. In reality, it is still very much whether there will be any new runway - so not a binary choice. The vote by Runnymede leaves only two councils, Slough and Spelthorne, as fully behind a Heathrow 3rd runway. The Council meeting and the vote came about due to pressure from local groups, such as Englefield Green and Windsor.
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Government confirms APD devolution to Scotland
The UK government has published a document, "Scotland in the United Kingdom: An enduring settlement". It sets out the Smith Commission Agreement on devolving powers to Scotland. This states: "The power to charge tax on air passengers leaving Scottish airports will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government will be free to make its own arrangements with regard to the design and collection of any replacement tax, including consideration of the environmental impact. ....if such a tax is introduced by the Scottish Parliament to replace Air Passenger Duty (APD), the Scottish Government will reimburse the UK Government for any costs incurred in ‘switching off’ APD in Scotland. ... A fair and equitable share of associated administrative costs will be transferred to the Scottish Government. ....The clause includes provision for appointing the day when APD will be switched off in relation to Scotland." Abta and the Airport Operators Association (AOA) have responded the plans to devolve APD to Scotland by demanding consistency across the UK. They claim this will affect the competitiveness of regional airports in the north of England.
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Regional airports asked to bid for up to £56 million funding for new routes over next 3 years
Airports and airlines are being urged to bid for government funding of up to £17.5 million in the next year to help launch new routes. This ‘start up aid’ will be made available from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund, which was announced by the government in June 2013 and is open to airports with fewer than 5 million passengers per year. This fund has already been partly distributed to support strategic routes to London from Newquay and Dundee but is now being extended to bids for more routes. The £56 million is available to cover 3 years of financial support for start-up aid, with £17.5 million being made available to bids in 2015/16 and around £20 million a year for each of the remaining years. To apply for the funding, airports and airlines will have to provide evidence to show their proposed route will generate local benefits and represents value for money. The initial application stage will run for five weeks, closing on Wednesday 25 February. Ministers will announce a shortlist of bids in March 2015. A list of successful bidders will then be published in June.
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In 2014 Heathrow had 86,000 noise complaints in 5 months – with a 5-fold increase between 2013 and 2014
Heathrow have disclosed to Richmond Park and North Kingston MP Zac Goldsmith that they received a staggering 86,000 complaints about aircraft noise in just 5 months last year. Overall, 94,114 individual noise complaints were made to Heathrow in 2014 compared to just 18,826 in 2013. That is a 5-fold increase in the number of complaints, and a 3-fold increase in the number of people complaining. Heathrow says this is due to the airspace trails they carried out in the last half of 2014 where they tested new flight paths, both to the west and to the east of the airport. Zac Goldsmith said “the recent flight path trials offer a tiny hint of what’s to come if Heathrow is expanded. The trials affected a small part of West London, whereas a 3rd runway would bring hundreds of thousands of new people into the airport’s noise footprint. At this stage they know nothing about it. This .... demonstrates how badly affected people are by aircraft noise." The figures also show that nearly 7,000 people complained about night and early morning flights in 2014. The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Heathrow and the Wider Economy, recently produced a report showing how the impact of noise from Heathrow’s flight paths has been seriously underestimated.
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Fears over “illustrative map” showing Gatwick flight path over Copthorne and Crawley Down
Copthorne and Crawley Down residents have expressed disbelief that a map released by the Airports Commission about Gatwick's proposed 2nd runway shows what appears to be plans for a new flightpath directly over their homes. The Airports Commission insisted on the production of a map showing a flight path to assess the "operational viability" of the runway, but Gatwick management and NATS say it should "not be interpreted as representative of the location of future flight paths" The map is from a NATS document, which says "These designs are for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as representative of the location of future flight paths, should a particular scheme be recommended...." Although there is currently no permanent flight path in place over the area, residents from both Copthorne and Crawley Down have complained of noise from changes to flight paths over the past year, including the introduction of a "concentrated flight path. People have become eer more aware of the planes and increasingly concerned about future increases, with planes using a new southern runway 1km south of the current one creating yet more noise near them.
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Aviation Environment Federation sets out 3 main gaps in the Airports Commission’s assessment of CO2 from UK aviation with a new runway
In the rush to build a new runway in the south east, the vital issue of whether or not a new runway would be compatible with national climate change commitments has been largely overlooked. The Airports Commission gives the impression that the issue has been fully considered. In fact, it has not. The AEF has set out 3 simple points on which the Commission needs to answer questions - and which people writing responses to the consultation should include. These relate to the accuracy of CO2 forecasts; the lack of any policies to build a runway and still keep UK aviation CO2 down to the required level; and the lack of any assessment of how much less of an economic benefit a runway might be, if the carbon was properly factored into the calculations. AEF suggests raising these. On forecasts, the Commission should "Explain why its CO2 emissions forecasts are lower than the Government’s latest forecasts, what assumptions are made and how sensitive to the results are to them." On policy it should: "Set out in meaningful detail what policy developments would be required in order to limit emissions to the aviation cap while building new capacity." And on cost-benefit it should "Fully include the economy-wide cost of keeping national aviation emissions to within 37.5 Mt in its cost benefit analyses."
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West Sussex County Council Cabinet will not include mention of vote against Gatwick runway in its Airports Commission consultation response
West Sussex County Council voted against supporting a 2nd Gatwick runway - with 37 votes to 26 votes, with 4 abstentions. It also agreed its official response to the Airports Commission’s consultation expressing ‘serious concerns’ about the implications of a Gatwick 2nd runway. At a special Full Council meeting councillors almost unanimously approved the 20-page document which lists the improvements it believes need to be made before any proposal to expand the airport is submitted to Government. Leader of West Sussex County Council, Mrs Louise Goldsmith, and the Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Pieter Montyn, continue to back the runway. Mr Montyn said the council would not be including information on the vote in their submission to the Commission. Mrs Goldsmith was eager to assert that the Commission's decision on a runway would not be influenced by her council - an opinion which many would disagree with. Mr Montyn said: “The issue of a 2nd runway at Gatwick is an extremely emotive subject and that played out at today’s meeting. [The Commission ...] asks us to comment on the methodology and evidence base of [their] assessments, and to put forward improvements that we believe should be made." Hence its position opposing Gatwick expansion will not form part of its consultation response.
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West Sussex County Council votes to oppose a 2nd Gatwick runway (Kent CC has already done so too)
A second County Council has withdrawn its support for a 2nd Gatwick runway, because of the high level of local opposition - and the unconvincing case made by the airport. West Sussex County Council (WSCC) voted by 37 to 26 to reverse its (somewhat unorthodox) decision in July 2013 to support another Gatwick runway. It held today's special meeting to debate the Gatwick issue, because the Council needed to write its response to the Airports Commission consultation, before it ends on 3rd February. Kent County Council withdrew its backing for a second runway in November, because of new flight paths. Over almost 5 hours of debate, numerous WSCC councillors put their points, displaying a sincere intention to act in the best interests of the county's residents, as they saw them. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the Airports Commission's documents and analysis, saying it was incomplete and often inaccurate. There was a high level of uncertainty about the inability of the county's infrastructure to cope with the stresses of a new runway, with transport being of particular concern. Ultimately councillors felt there were likely to be huge costs and problems from a runway, with uncertain benefits. They voted against the runway. Gatwick said it was disappointed by WSCC's decision.
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Crawley councillors say Airports Commission report into impact of Gatwick 2nd runway is riddled with mistakes
Crawley councillors will vote on what the council's position should be on a 2nd Gatwick runway on January 26. Members of the borough's overview and scrutiny committee have delivered a scathing assessment of an Airports Commission report into the impact of the runway, saying it is inaccurate, inadequate and ill-informed. The councillors do not want the council to remain impartial on the issue. Concerns were raised about what they feel are serious shortcomings by the Commission regarding its grasp of the current infrastructure, housing issues and level of employment in Crawley, provision of schools, and the impact expansion would have on the local area. There is little confidence the Commission is even aware of some of these matters, or that it can possibly predict what sort of infrastructure will be needed to support a 2nd runway. While the Commission presumes there is available labour, the council says the current unemployment figure is only 5.3%. As it is, Crawley cannot currently meet its target of building 500 homes a year, due to a lack of available land to build on, let alone many more. There was serious concern about schools that would be demolished, and the runway's impact on the borough's newest school.
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Letter: The real cost of Gatwick airport expansion that are not being considered
Sally Pavey, the Chair of CAGNE (Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions) writes that at the Airports Commission event on 16th December, Gatwick announced that it would add to its expenditure a new terminal and passenger rail link from day one, which must add at least £2 billion to the overall costs. And before Christmas Moody Financial questioned Gatwick’s financial stability to afford the expansion. It is not clear who would pay for the Gatwick promises of contributing to infrastructure, unless Gatwick needs to increase passenger landing charges more than anticipated by the Commission, at £23 per passenger. EasyJet, Gatwick’s number one customer, has already raised concerns over the extra cost of a new runway to their passengers. With such increases in passenger fares will passengers move to Stansted or Luton for cheap flights? The infrastructure costs have been missed in the Airports Commission report for Gatwick, so no allowance for schools, hospitals, new roads, railways, GPs, affordable housing. If one in five that work at Heathrow live adjacent to the airport then where will the 90,000 low skilled workers (AC figures) going to live?
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Update from Luton – no sign of work yet on the airport expansion
Plans to allow Luton airport to expand from around 9 million to around 18 million passengers a year, were granted final approval in July 2014. Luton Borough Council gave consent for work to begin on a modernised terminal building. However, nothing much has been heard since. An update from a Luton resident says there continue to be disagreements about noise, and what the airport and the airlines are doing to keep it as low as possible. So far, as far as anyone knows, no contracts have yet been awarded to build the expanded airport and there are a number of key "planning" issues in and around the issue of Section 106 agreements yet to be resolved. Some elements of the proposal are described as "reserved matters" - only outline application was made for a multi-storey car-park and a pedestrian link building. There are concerns that the airport will have difficulty with departure noise levels, which are set out in Conditions by the Planning Authority (which also happens to own the airport). There are mutterings of "we'll lose lots of traffic to Stansted.....". Worryingly, Planning Authorities can, without further public consultation, relax Conditions if they can be shown to be "onerous."
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Crawley Council told “get off the fence” over Gatwick – key Council debate to be on 26th January
Crawley Borough Council has been told to get off the fence on a 2nd runway at Gatwick. Members of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Commission met recently to discuss the council’s response to the Airports Commission’s consultation. One councillor said: "... at this moment, what people in Crawley ... want to hear is their elected representatives taking a view. Not having an opinion and sitting on the fence won’t do any good for anybody.” Others said they had received little or no correspondence from people in favour of expansion, but plenty of opposition, and this must be communicated back to the council. Cllr Brenda Smith said: “We are here to represent the people who elected us. If we haven’t got the ability to make the decision for ourselves, then we shouldn’t be doing the job.” Several councillors found fault with the Airports Commission documents, and errors on housing and employment. There were concerns about the “unrealistic assumption” that housing growth would be spread equally over the 14 authorities surrounding the airport. One councillor said: “Crawley will be just a reserve army of labour for the airport. It will become a suburb of Gatwick.” The view of the Council will be debated at a Special Council Meeting on Monday January 26 - which the public can attend.
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“Gatwick Obviously NOT” (no longer !!!) encouraging residents to write to West Sussex County Councillors before Gatwick vote on Monday 19th January
The group, "Gatwick Obviously NOT" (GON) that is mainly representing areas to the east of Gatwick, affected by aircraft noise, is asking people to write to all 71 councillors in West Sussex County Council, (WSCC) before a council meeting. Gatwick airport is just in West Sussex, and in July 2013 a hasty decision was rushed through, for the Council to back a Gatwick 2nd runway. This will be re-considered on 19th January. GON have written to all West Sussex councillors, and want others to also write, to say they support what GON have said. GON have told WSCC that there are many concerns about the economics of a Gatwick runway and Gatwick has not been transparent on the numbers. Also that Gatwick has not been honest about flight path changes (Stewart Wingate gave the assurance on 18th July that: "the impression may be that something has changed, although I can assure you nothing has …" But then on 5th December, the CAA's CEO admitted: "The air traffic controllers tried out revised vectoring practices between the hold and landing at Gatwick … Air traffic controllers were trialling, or trying out, some new vectoring choices to see what effect they would have." Kent County Council and Tunbridge Wells councils have now voted against a Gatwick runway.
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Campaign group back’s Boris’s bid to have final say on flight numbers at London City Airport
Campaign group HACAN East supports Mayor Boris Johnson’s bid to have the final say over flight numbers at London City Airport. The group is backing Boris to have the final say over the number of planes which are allowed to use the airport., and he wants to have the authority to veto any future proposals to do away with existing cap of 120,000 aircraft a year. The Mayor has said this in his response to the airport’s current consultation on its plans for expansion. HACAN East chair John Stewart, said, “We fully support the Mayor’s request. It is a nonsense that one London borough, Newham, should decide how many planes can use the airport when the impact of the airport affects vast swathes of London.” The current consultation does not involve any request by London City to increase flight numbers. What it wants is permission to build an extended taxiway and bigger parking stands so that larger aircraft can use the airport. It also wants to double the size of the terminal and provide more car parking spaces. The consultation closes on Friday 23rd January, with Newham expected to make a decision later in the year.
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Windsor meetings on Heathrow expansion – afternoon & evening of Tuesday 20th January
The West Windsor Residents Association (WWRA) and Old Windsor Residents Associations are holding Open Public Meetings on Tuesday 20th January at Windsor Racecourse starting at 2.30pm and 7.30 pm. The aim is to inform local residents about the probably disastrous effects of extra runway capacity on life locally. Also to empower people to take action that will help to influence relevant decision makers, and ensure their voice is heard in the debate - above the noise from Heathrow, and big business. There will be presentations from local experts on noise, housing, transport, health. Those who are able to attend the afternoon session are asked to do so, in order to leave space in the evening for people who work in the daytime. There is the prospect, from another Heathrow runway, of around 50% more flights, some over previously quiet areas. There would also be a demand for around 70,000 more houses for 112,000 more employees and their families' needs, which would inevitably have a huge permanent impact. Effects would be felt across many boroughs, all already stretched to cope with current demand, each required to find space for 5,000 more houses, plus schools, hospitals, doctors, transport improvements, etc.
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MPs identify serious concerns about noise implications of Heathrow expansion
On the 18th December 2014, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Heathrow and the Wider Economy launched its report ‘Noise from Heathrow Airport’ which sets out how the Government, Parliament and the Aviation Industry have seriously underestimated the impact of noise from Heathrow’s flight paths. The report considered the present and future noise impact of Heathrow’s flight paths, with the existing two runways, and with the proposed 3rd runway. It found a substantial list of gaps in HAL’s proposals and has produced a list of actions for the Government, Airport’s Commission and HAL that are necessary to tackle the existing problem and that are central to the consideration of any 3rd runway. These include the need for noise to be measured using the WHO formula; the need for full information about future flight paths, and respite periods, so residents are properly informed; proper estimates of numbers affected by noise in future, taking into account the anticipated growth in population in affected areas; and reduction in night flights. The APPG notes that HAL’s CEO has confirmed to the APPG that a successful 3rd runway would pave the way for a 4th runway.
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Gatwick airport announces highest ever number of passengers in 2014 – 38.1 million
Gatwick has announced its highest ever number of air passengers, in 2014. There were 38.1 million passengers, which is up + 7.6% compared to 2013. Gatwick had 256,350 Air Transport Movements (flights) in 2013, which was up by 4% compared to 2013. Their air cargo was down by 8.6% compared to 2013, at 88,737 tonnes. The number of passengers at Gatwick has grown steadily since 2010, and overtook the previous peak from 2007 35,165,000 in 2013. The number of flights is still slightly below its peak level in 2007, when there were around 259,000. Gatwick said the growth was driven across a range of markets, and of course, it took the opportunity to make another plug for its 2nd runway. There were approximately 149 passengers, on average, on planes using Gatwick,compared with about 156 at Heathrow. By contrast, in 2011 there were about 134 passengers, on average, per plane using Gatwick. So along with Heathrow, there is a slow increase in the size of planes, and/or the load factor - to be expected when the majority of flights are low-cost. Gatwick says it now has more long haul flights, and passengers travelling to Dubai in 2014 increased by 8.3% compared to 2013.
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Heathrow airport announces highest ever number of passengers in 2014 – 73.4 million
Heathrow airport has announced that in 2014 they had 1.4% more passengers than in 2013, with 73.4 million compared to 72.3 million. They had just 0.2% more Air Transport Movements (= flights) than in 2013, with 470,695 compared to 469,552. And they had 5.3% more air cargo than in 2013, with 1.50 million tonnes, compared to 1.42 million. The number of air passengers has risen steadily since 2010, and is now well above the pre-recession peak of 67.8 million in 2007. The number of flights is well below the highest levels, of 476,000+ in both 2007 and in 2011, due to increasing use of larger planes. Heathrow says there were 2.5% more transfer passengers in 2014 than in 2013. The figures for the month of December, also released the same day, show Heathrow only had an average load factor of 76.6% (ie. on each plane, some 23.4% of seats are unfilled). For December 2014 Heathrow said the average number of passengers per plane was 159.6. It is more like 156 for the year. By contrast, the average number of passengers per plane was 146 in 2011 (link). Larger planes are increasingly being used. There are estimates that Heathrow could accommodate 90 million passengers per year, with its current terminal capacity (link)
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Council leaders tell Mr Holland-Kaye that he is wrong to presume councils don’t oppose his runway plans
The Leader of Richmond Council, Lord True, has accused the Chief Executive of Heathrow, John Holland-Kaye, as ‘talking utter nonsense’ in a recent interview regarding the future of the airport. Mr Holland-Kaye said: ‘Historically the five closest boroughs to us have opposed our plans. Now all are either neutral or support us and only Hillingdon opposes our plans now.” Lord True says Mr Holland-Kaye should wake up and realise the opposition to a 3rd Heathrow runway from West London boroughs is stronger now than it has ever been. Lord True, said:“Mr Holland Kaye is talking utter nonsense. When he claims councils near Heathrow are either in favour or neutral about his expansion, it is as if Caesar were claiming Gaul would welcome his legions. Sheer fantasy. Richmond remains implacably opposed to gifting a bigger Heathrow to its wealthy foreign owners at the expense of ordinary Londoners – and we and Hillingdon are certainly not alone. Mr Holland Kaye – wake up!" Leader of Wandsworth Council, Ravi Govindia has also reminded Heathrow that councils across London and the Home Counties are deeply opposed to a new runway and creation of new flightpaths. He said: “Councils surrounding Heathrow and across London are resolutely opposed to expansion and that is not going to change."
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Expansion of Heathrow could ‘destroy Windsor’ according to councillor
Another Heathrow runway could 'destroy Windsor' according to a Windsor councillor and chairman of the Royal Borough's Aviation Forum. The comments were made at a meeting of the forum,discussing the Airports Commission's options for a new south east runway. The councillor said: "If the expansion of Heathrow Airport is given the go ahead, it will destroy Windsor and the reason why people want to come here. It will affect the ability to hold state functions at Windsor Castle and the north-western option will affect Eton....It would see an increased level of noise for our residents and will affect our world heritage sights, which the commission have seemed to overlook." The Royal Borough of Windsor are now drafting a submission to the Airports Commission. Another councillor said: "The Airports Commission's paper is one of the biggest things the borough has had to respond to and the implications are enormous." Another councillor commented that the need for up to 70,800 new homes, for a 3rd runway, would created turmoil and require highly valued green belt land.
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Windsor councillor says there would be homes ‘turmoil’ if Heathrow is expanded
A Windsor councillor has said that creating up to 70,800 homes if Heathrow expansion plans go ahead would cause "absolute turmoil." He said a 3rd runway north-west of the airport could create the need to use greenbelt land for housing. However, almost unbelievably, a Heathrow spokesman said: "There will be little or no need for additional house-building over and above current local authority plans." The Airports Commission, said Heathrow expansion would create between 47,400 and 112,400 jobs by 2030, which in turn would require an extra 29,800 to 70,800 homes to be created in the surrounding area, including Windsor, Slough and London boroughs. There will be a public meeting in Windsor to discuss the Heathrow plans, before the consultation ends on 3rd February. Windsor already has an enormous housing problem in the area, and are having go consider building on green belt land (which is locally very unpopular), even with no new runway. And there is increasing urbanisation ..."The impact will be felt across the Thames Valley - it's commercial greed gone mad."
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Gatwick campaigners produce key information showing “no councillor in their right mind would vote for a new runway.”
Campaigners opposed to expansion at Gatwick have said no councillor in their right mind would vote for a new runway. Setting out the information people need, in order to write responses to the Airports Commission, opposing a Gatwick runway, the new paper by GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) is Gatwick Unwrapped. Itcontains a detailed assessment of Gatwick's runway plans. Copies have been sent to all borough and county councillors in areas affected by Gatwick. GACC shows that the Commission has under-estimated the pressure a 2nd runway would place on both the road and rail networks, and on local housing and infrastructure of all kinds. The report shows the figures used by the Commission were based on a forecast of cars and passengers in 2030, when the new runway would not yet be operating at its full capacity - and impacts would be likely to be even greater in later years. GACC says expansion would lead to the creation of 60,000 jobs which, in turn, would lead to an influx of people to the area, resulting in 100,000 more vehicles on the roads every day and more than 90,000 extra people using rail services. The numbers of people to be subjected to more aircraft noise and new flight paths have also been underestimated.
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Heathrow Airport to set up a new Community Noise Forum, to help residents understand flight path issues
Heathrow Airport knows it has a real problem with aircraft noise, that could block its runway aspirations. The recent flight path changes and trials revealed a degree of anger and opposition to increased plane noise that stunned Heathrow staff. Thousands of people newly overflown, or under new concentrated flight paths, expressed their intense opposition to the noise nuisance inflicted on them. Heathrow, at its Consultative Committee meeting on 10th December, was keen to set up a new "Community Noise Forum" through which to try to defuse some of this local anger and dissatisfaction - and to try to win back some trust. For many, the repeated half truths and worse from the airport mean trust has broken down irretrievably. The minutes say: "Even the CAA had been regarded by some as not entirely independent in the process." There is already a "Noise Forum" (which replaced the Heathrow Noise & Track Keeping Working Group (NTKWG)), but that only involves HACAN and not other community groups. The new plan is to get something started as soon as possible, to give the appropriate community members and local authorities access to the raw data on flight path dispersal and concentration. A suitable chairperson needs to be located.
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Tunbridge Wells Borough Council votes almost unanimously against a 2nd Gatwick runway
A public council meeting held by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 7th January ended with an almost unanimous vote by councillors against a 2nd Gatwick runway. The motion against was carried with 40 votes in favour, one abstention and one against. [Other figures say 35:1]. Council leader David Jukes said: "This is democracy in action - you don't often see a lot of people attending a boring council meeting." Managers from Gatwick Airport were invited to attend the meeting but declined (they have also declined to appear before MPs in Parliament). The meeting heard that residents of west Kent and East Sussex are subjected to four times the amount of night flights as residents of West London, and that economic benefits of expansion would not be seen until maybe 2050, with very little effect on the GDP of Kent. A presentation by Joe Ratcliffe, the KCC aviation policy advisor, showed that some areas had seen a drastic increase in flights overhead, rising from around 10 flights per day in 2010 to between 40 and 50 flights in 2014. There was irritation that Gatwick and the CAA persist in saying there has been no change in flights or flight paths, but people are adamant there have been substantial changes. Kent expected to see little benefit from a 2nd Gatwick runway, but to experience a considerably greater noise burden.
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NATS says cross-border trial slowing planes up to 350 miles from landing, cuts Heathrow stacking times
NATS says their trial to cut the amount of time aircraft spend circling in holding stacks at Heathrow has started to reap rewards. As part of the UK-Ireland Functional Airspace Block (FAB) and in collaboration with FAB Eurocontrol (FABEC) and Heathrow Airport, the trial aims to cut average holding times by a quarter from the current 8-minute time,to 6 minutes. Since April 2014, NATS has recorded a reduction of up to one minute in holding times for those flights influenced by the trial, saving airlines some fuel and - they claim - aroud 5,000 tons of CO2 for their airline customers, as well as reducing noise for communities underneath the stacks. The trial has seen controllers in the UK, France, Ireland and the Netherlands working in partnership to slow aircraft down up to 350 miles away from London - in any direction - in order to minimize holding times on arrival. 350 miles is around the French/German border, the French/Spanish border or the north of Denmark. The aim is to make more improvements to getting planes to arrive at Heathrow on a direct route. Aircraft burn less fuel generally if flying a bit less fast.
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“Cut Tourism VAT” campaign wants boost to UK tourism by cut in VAT to 5% on holidays in UK
Domestic travel companies are warning that they will find it hard to compete on price with their European competitors this year due to the falling value of the euro, plus high VAT rates in the UK. The euro is now worth just 78p compared with 84p last March, making the Continent 7% cheaper for holidays. The Government's has abolished APD on air tickets for children aged under 12 from May this year, and will make it even harder for UK holidays to compete. Calling for a reduction in VAT for tourism to 5%, down from 20%, members of the Cut Tourism VAT campaign said it had the support of over 43,000 businesses and more than 100 MPs. The UK government has created an anomaly whereby families who go abroad get a new tax benefit but families who holiday in the UK do not. UK tourism businesses say domestic tourism can help drive growth in the UK economy but only if it remains competitive. Cut Tourism VAT campaigners say VAT in Britain on accommodation and attractions is three times that of Belgium, Greece, Netherlands and Portugal and twice that of Germany and France. The campaign says cutting VAT to 5% could boost the UK economy by up to £4 billion annually and create over 120,000 jobs around the UK. That would reduce the UK's tourism deficit, caused by flights.
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The case of the mysterious post boxes appearing in Heathrow’s terminals … for pro-Heathrow consultation forms
Post boxes have started to appear in the terminals Heathrow Airport urging customers to "help us expand Heathrow". They coincide with the final public consultation by the Airports Commission. John Stewart, chair of HACAN, said “Local people alerted us to these post boxes...... It seems as if Heathrow is using passengers as a weapon in its fight to get a third runway.” Questions are being asked by campaigners whether passengers are being handed forms as they come off their planes for them to send to Heathrow or put into the post boxes. John Stewart said he expected Heathrow may have miscalculated, as the Airports Commission is interested in solid arguments rather than simply filled in campaigning forms. It should be remembered that Gatwick and Ipsos Mori decided that consultation responses through an NGO, the Woodland Trust, should not be counted as responding that was was too easy. Neil Keveren, who chairs SHE (Stop Heathrow Expansion), commented that while local people have to campaign using their own time and resources, Heathrow is able to drum up support from passengers from around the globe who "have little interest in communities such as ours.”
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Defra condemned for proposals – yet again – to scrap local air pollution monitoring, with danger of reducing air quality
Just before Christmas Defra released a consultation (ends 30th January) which proposed to scrap the requirement for local authorities to monitor air pollution. Under the plans, councils would no longer have to produce detailed assessments, including those showing pollution hotspots. The number of monitoring stations could be reduced to Defra’s network of 100 stations from the current 10,500 used by local authorities. Clean Air in London, and AEF (the Aviation Environment Federation) both strongly oppose removing the requirement for local authorities to monitor air pollution, particularly given its importance as a potential ‘showstopper’ for a 3rd runway at Heathrow. The consultation follows a similar proposal last year which we, along with over 18,000 other organisations and individuals, objected to. Clean Air in London says it is unclear whether Defra also intends (catastrophically) to scrap the duty on local authorities to review the need for continued assessment and reporting on objectives that have been met e.g. PM10. Buried in the fine print, Defra admits that 38 of the UK’s 43 air quality zones will not be compliant with EU limit values forNO2 by 2015 with 3 zones (Birmingham, Leeds and London) unlikely to be able to comply with these limits until after 2030.
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Carbon diary of reluctant traveller – 77,000 air miles per year for work; 12,000 air miles for holidays …..
In a carbon diary looking at his annual carbon emissions, an American who works for a transport organisation, the ICCT calculated just how much of the total came from flights. For his job, he travels a lot internationally. The number of miles for work, to attend meetings to help set emission standards for planes and ships through ICAO, came to 77,000 miles - on 30 flights over 9 work trips, releasing an additional 11 tons of CO2. Other journeys during his year accounted for 11,000 miles from regular commuting trips to the office by train, and another 12,000 miles flown on two family holidays. Due to a Californian lifestyle, in a warm climate, transport makes up a higher proportion of his annual carbon footprint than for someone living in a cold climate, needing heating (or a hot one, wanting air conditioning). But on the amount from flying, he reflects that this can be seen as a systemic problem, not just an individual one. And as such this means we need governments to develop policies internationally and domestically to impose a price on carbon to curb aviation emissions. "All this, and more, will be needed given that aviation CO2 emissions are on track to triple by mid-century." Another blog stresses the need to reduce the demand for flights.
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Second Sydney airport may threaten Blue Mountains’ World Heritage status
The United Nations' world heritage body will issue a "please explain" to the Australian Abbott government demanding a detailed report on the threat posed by the Badgerys Creek airport near Sydney, to the natural integrity of the Blue Mountains - just 8 km away. The new airport was given consent in April 2014. Any risk to World Heritage status is likely to hit the tourism industry, particularly nature-based tourism. The UN scrutiny comes as the Abbott government has been accused of a "sneaky" attempt to avoid World Heritage impacts being considered as part of the environmental approval for the new 24-hour airport. However, the Environment Department ruled on December 23 that World Heritage impacts must be examined. The Blue Mountains was finally accepted on the World Heritage list in December 2000, within a fortnight of the Howard government publicly announcing that plans for Badgerys Creek had been shelved. Problems caused by the airport include airborne fuel emissions, visual intrusion, and predicted aircraft noise of 70 to 80 decibels as "adversely affecting the natural quiet" of the Blue Mountains area. Claims that planes are "quieter and cleaner" than 15 years ago, and so not problem, are not believed.
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Lufthansa hope to partly fuel flights from Oslo airport using biokerosene for one year
Starting this year the Lufthansa Group will be partly fuelling their aircraft at Oslo airport with a bio-kerosene mixture. The group recently became the first airline group to sign this kind of contract with the Norwegian oil company, Statoil Aviation. Beginning in March 2015 and lasting for one year, Statoil will feed 2.5 million gallons of [so called] "sustainably" produced, certified biofuel into the tanks at Oslo airport. The approximately 5,000 flights the Lufthansa Group - which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Germanwings, and Brussels Airlines - operates from the Norwegian capital will then be flying on a biokerosene mixture. Oslo airport claims it is the world’s first large commercial airport to offer continuous provision of biofuel over a long period and to fuel aircraft with bio-kerosene directly from its hydrant system. Lufthansa hope to be able to cut carbon emissions by using a small proportion of biofuel. While the initial bio-fuel deliveries will probably come from used cooking oil, major players in the Norwegian power and forestry industries are now exploring the possibility of forest-based large-scale production of bio-fuel for aviation in a few years. There are considerable environmental problems in using wood for jet fuel.
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SHE (Stop Heathrow Expansion) suggested basic response to Airports Commission consultation
The Airports Commission consultation, on the three runway options, ends on 3rd February. It is important that as many people as possible submit their views, especially things the Commission has either left out - or got wrong. The local group for the Heathrow Villages, Harmondsworth in particular, has put together a simple response form - to help people who do not have the time, or expertise, to read through the 55+ long, difficult documents. The response form can be used by people in the Heathrow Villages area, or anyone else who would like to do so. People in the Villages stand to suffer particularly badly from either Heathrow runway scheme. They are already very close to Heathrow, already suffering local blight, noise and air pollution. They face loss of their homes by compulsory purchase, uncertain financial compensation, loss of their village character, history, facilities .... In view of the intense threats they face, the Villages have joined together in their campaigns, to speak with one voice and provide a unified front against the threats.
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Aviation industry worldwide faces pressure to make progress on its carbon emissions
American article that looks, in a fairly general way, at the likelihood of some mechanism being put in place, in the foreseeable future, to regulate carbon emissions from the aviation industry. The industry is unlikely to achieve the carbon cuts it hoped for from using biofuels. There are only limited efficiencies that can be made by higher load factors and more efficient routing, and other gains are needed from newer aircraft with better engines and lighter materials. However, these will be slow to replace existing planes, due to the economics with improvements only incremental. Air traffic growth is set to triple the industry’s global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. If commercial aviation were a country, it would rank 7th in global greenhouse gas emissions. Politically, it depends on whether the United Nations ICAO can establish agreement among member states on a regulatory mechanism, which in turn may depend largely on whether the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chooses to regulate aviation emissions. There is a risk that action taken by governments and industry may be politically feasible but scientifically ineffectual. There is no guarantee that the 2016 ICAO meeting will result in binding obligations.
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Straight-talking letter to Stewart Wingate, from aggrieved resident tired of aircraft noise and inadequate Gatwick answers
Residents in Kent and East Sussex have been particularly irritated at perceived changes to flight paths over their areas, by planes arriving at Gatwick. Thousands of people is areas such as Penshurst, Chiddingstone, Tunbridge Wells, Hartfield, Ashurst, Hever etc deeply resent the intrusion of more aircraft above them, with more noise. They particularly resent the failure of Gatwick or the CAA to give straight answers to their questions. One such resident, at the end of his patience, has sent a letter to Stewart Wingate, setting out specific complaints about an aircraft on 31st December. The letter is copied to a large number of people, including Dame Deirdre Hutton at the CAA, and many MPs. And he does not pull his punches. Here are a couple of samples: "Quite why you would seemingly wilfully antagonise people when you are trying to curry favour for a new runway is absolutely beyond me." And "We all know what is going on – GAL has achieved 55 movements an hour at the cost of the destruction of the quality of life for those constantly overflown and that is something that must be changed; the CAA can assist by renouncing its risible current stance that ‘nothing has changed’."
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National Farmers’ Union seeks farmer views on airport expansion at Heathrow and Gatwick
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is seeking views on the knock-on effects to farm businesses of airport runway expansion plans either at Heathrow or Gatwick. Depending on the final site chosen, there is a strong possibility that farm businesses and good agricultural land will be lost. A spokesman for Berkshire farmers J Rayner and Sons, based in Horton, near Slough, (map) said they were “very concerned” about possible expansion of Heathrow. He added: “The northern runway extension would go straight through our farm and finish us off. Even if they don’t take any of our land to build the runway, the infrastructure around here cannot cope. The family has farmed here since the 16th century. We are in the same boat as farmers affected by HS2. Our lives are on hold. We cannot do anything on the farm to invest, such as making units or renting farm properties, because of the threat of Heathrow expansion.” Another farmer, in Harmondsworth, said: “The whole situation at the moment is totally fluid. Nobody knows what’s going to be happening until the commission reports back." Farmers want adequate compensation.
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New briefing “Gatwick Unwrapped” by GACC provides comprehensive detail for Commission consultation responses
GACC has now had time to read the consultation documents from the Airports Commission carefully, and give consideration to the detailed impacts of a 2nd Gatwick runway. In a thorough analysis, carefully argued and fully referenced, entitled Gatwick Unwrapped, GACC has set out why the glossy promotion of Gatwick's runway plans - at substantial cost - by the airport, is not all it seems. Looking at the details, GACC says the runway has been sold to the public gift-wrapped in a massive advertising and lobbying campaign, but when "unwrapped" it falls far short of expectations. GACC has looked at a range of issues, including the numbers of jobs to be created; the available work force within the area; transport problems for road and rail; numbers of houses required ...... and so on. GACC wants everyone to respond to the current consultation (closing date 3 February) by saying ‘No’ to a new Gatwick runway. Gatwick Unwrapped provides facts and figures to help people respond. And Gatwick Unwrapped is being sent to all local councillors. Many local councils are due to vote in January on whether to support or oppose the runway. "When they see the full facts" says GACC Chairman, Brendon Sewill, "no councillor in their right mind would vote for a new runway."
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Defra condemned by Clean Air in London for proposals scrapping local air pollution monitoring
Air pollution is a key problem for Heathrow, making the addition of a 3rd runway very hard to justify - or to fit within legal air quality limits. The main pollutant with which Heathrow has problems is NOX - nitrogen oxides, the majority of which comes from road traffic. The actual proportion from aircraft, airport vehicles and other road vehicles is very difficult to establish. The other key air pollutants are PM10 and PM2.5 - tiny particles which lodge in the lungs and can cause long term health problems. DEFRA has responsibility for air quality monitoring. It put out a consultation on streamlining some air pollution monitoring, on 19th December (finishes 30th January). The aim is to no longer require local authorities to monitor 4 pollutants, and to combine monitoring of PM10s with PM2.5s. The group, Clean in London says "DEFRA’s plans would result inevitably in the scrapping of thousands of local monitoring sites that have taken a decade to put in place and probably all of them within a few months or years." Also that "Alarmingly, local authorities are being told to make use of Defra’s tiny national monitoring network (i.e. 137 monitors, few of which measure two or more of NO2, PM2.5 and PM10)."
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“Sustainable Aviation” produce its “road-map” for unduly ambitious levels of jet biofuels in future
In December the UK aviation group Sustainable Aviation produced a road-map which outlines the industry’s perspective of the future potential of alternative fuels in the UK aviation sector. It has very ambitious (unrealistic?) goals for the amount of biofuels it will manage to use in coming decades, with estimates of 25 - 40% of fuel used by global aviation by 2050, but the UK government expects only 2.5%. Sustainable Aviation hopes alternative fuels will cause cuts in carbon emissions of around 15 - 24% by 2050, but other more moderate estimates expect cuts of perhaps 5% by 2050. "Sustainable Aviation" wants taxpayers' money, through the (taxpayer-owned) Green Investment bank, to fund development of low carbon fuels, so the industry can carry on growing its emissions. Huge problems remain about alternative, or biofuels. The AEF (Aviation Environment Federation) believes biofuels could only be used if they can meet these criteria: (1). Emissions must be accurately accounted for using Life Cycle Analysis, and are not zero-rated. (2). Full life-cycle analysis must demonstrate that net emissions are lower than conventional fuels. (3). Susstainability appraisals must include direct and indirect land-use change.
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American blog “Love and long-distance travel in the time of climate change”
In a thoughtful, soul-searching article by an American climate campaigner, Eve, she sets out her dilemma about flights across the States to visit her family several times each year. About a year earlier, a meteorologist in the US, Eric Holthaus, vowed not to fly again - after he understood just how serious the issue of climate change had become, and how large a part of his personal carbon footprint flying had become. With thousands of other Americans, Eve was influenced by Eric Holthaus. She writes of her difficulties in having lived a typical American life, involving studying and working in places far from home, yet wanting to keep in regular contact with parents and family. She describes the sadness of choosing not going home to visit parents. "It is very, very strange to be in a position now — and I don’t think I’m alone — where I find myself weighing seeing the people I love against my own complicity in the global climate crisis." And "Never before has our economy been so effortlessly globalized that jobs pull people back and forth across countries and oceans, and never before have we had so much evidence that the systems and habits we’ve created to actually live in that economy are quite literally destroying the planet."
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Cardiff Airport consultation on planned concentrated RNAV flight paths
Cardiff Airport is now holding a consultation for all those potentially affected by changes to its flight paths. As with all other airports and airspace across the UK, RNAV ( aRea NAVigation ) is to be introduced, so planes can fly more accurate tracks, resulting in more concentrated flight paths. The existing Cardiff routes used by aircraft (termed “conventional” routes) rely on 1950s technology of ground based radio beacons. Now RNAV uses a combination of satellite and ground-based navigation technology which enables pilots to fly pre-determined, predictable arrival profiles. Processes are underway at a European level to make modernisation of the route system a legal requirement for the UK and other European states by 2020. The CAA is planning to mandate that all operators will have to be RNAV 1 approved by November 2017, and then require RNAV routes to be introduced by winter 2019. The Cardiff consultation started on 15th December 2014 and ends on 20th March 2015 (another part of the document says 27th). Email responses should be sent to: consultation@cwl.aero
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Gatwick flight paths comment deadline to CAA by 5th Jan 2015 on PIR (Post Implementation Review)
Gatwick airport carried out a consultation on changes to its airspace at the end of 2013, finishing in January 2014. They then carried out another consultation in May 2014. Gatwick is required to allow time for people to comment and give their feedback on the impacts of proposed airspace changes. This is called a PIR (Post Implementation Review). The deadline is 5th January 2015. After that date, the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) will review the comments - and the degree to which changes to flight paths have affected the public being overflown. The airspace changes are due to PRNAV (precision navigation) and PBN (performance based navigation) - meaning aircraft fly much more accurate routes than was possible before, and routes are also concentrated to be more narrow than before. People who have been adversely affected by flight path changes from aircraft using Gatwick are recommended to send in their comments again. (The CAA has not confirmed that they would consider earlier emails or letters). There is no specific consultation document or form to fill in. The address to email is mark.swan.GatwickPIR@caa.co.uk People need to not only write to the CAA, but copy this to their MP and to the DfT.
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Residents from Plane Wrong submit a petition to the CAA, opposing Gatwick flight path changes
A petition signed by more than 2,000 Mole Valley residents has been delivered to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) by members of the PlaneWrong campaign group. The petition was presented on Monday 22nd December, along with a submission opposing the recent flight path changes implemented by Gatwick Airport last year, which campaigners claim was carried out without direct consultation with those affected by noise pollution. PlaneWrong was formed in September by a group of Mole Valley residents to campaign against the permanent flight path changes to the areas south and east of Dorking, which were previously unaffected by aircraft noise. A spokesman for the group said: “By organising public meetings, door-to-door leaflet distribution, a full social media campaign and engaging with local media, PlaneWrong has united communities, including villages from Coldharbour to South Nutfield, and the towns of Dorking, Reigate and Redhill. PlaneWrong presented its powerful 44-page submission for inclusion in the CAA’s Post Implementation Review (PIR) process. The objective of the PIR is to assess whether Gatwick implemented the change correctly.
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Qatar Airways deciding whether to use more A350 wide-body jets or more A380s
Qatar Airways will next year get its first Airbus A350 plane. It already has 3 A380s and will soon be getting its 4th and has firm orders for a total of 10. Qatar has ordered 80 of the A350s. Qatar will be comparing how the two types perform, in deciding whether to buy more A380s. There are three varieties of A350 (A350-800. 900 and 1000) and they can have between 276-369 seats in two classes. It the most direct rival to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The A380 can take 525 passengers in a three-class configuration, and up to 853 for one class (no airline does that). The head of Qatar Airways, Mr Al Baker, expects the A350 to give fuel efficiency benefits over current planes, and says the A350 planes will enable Qatar to open new routes using it. If Qatar decides to cancel or swap its orders for more A380 it would be a serious setback for their production, as there have been no new orders during 2014. Production of the A380 will only break even in 2015. The largest user of the A380, Emirates, has had theirs for 7 years, and wants a different engine, for better fuel efficiency. The A350 XWB uses new Rolls-Royce engines which are ckaimed to use 20% less fuel than current aircraft.
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Briefing by AEF asks whether a new runway would breach legal limits for air quality
The AEF (Aviation Environment Federation) has published a short, easy to read, briefing on air pollution in relation to a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick. It considers the importance of air pollution and how far the Airports Commission has gone to address the issue to date. The Commission says a full assessment and modelling of the local air quality impacts has yet to be undertaken. AEF says because air quality is a key issue for a new Heathrow runway, as the area already breaches legal air quality limits, the Commission should publish the modelling it will carry out of the local air quality impacts, including damage to human health. AEF says the future Government should assess the Commission's recommendations in terms of their impact on human health. They should assess the risks to air quality legal limits from runway plans, and only permit a runway if it can be shown that legal limits on pollutants can already be met consistently, and are falling. The Commission is aware that improvements in aircraft engine emissions may take a very long time to happen; that reducing the amount of air pollution from road transport around Heathrow may take a very long time; and EU air quality standards may be tightened.
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Letter: “Quality of life will be destroyed” if Gatwick is allowed to build a 2nd runway
A letter in the local West Sussex press, in the lady's own heart-felt words, expresses far better than any number of lengthy consultant reports, the impact of a 2nd Gatwick runway on people. She says: "We live in the village of Warnham and recently suffered the six month trial of the new proposed flight path - it was horrendous. It was unbearable being woken every morning before 6am with the continuous drones of these low flying aircraft. We did not move to a small village to be made to suffer this life changing nuisance. We have now received a letter from the CEO of Gatwick Airport which was a grovelling explanation of why Gatwick needs this extra runway and what advantages it will offer, also offering compensation in the way of money off council tax fees for the worst affected! How insulting is this! As if any amount of money could compensate for the misery caused by the noise of the aircraft. The impact on our health was huge, my husband was recovering from a double heart bypass and I have had several years of illness. What we need is for our lives to NOT be destroyed by this proposal, and make no mistake, it will destroy our quality of life and our mental health."
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Stewart Wingate and senior Gatwick staff refuse to appear before group of local area MPs in Parliament
Sir Paul Beresford, MP for Mole Valley, has complained that Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) has refused to appear publicly before MPs at the House of Commons to answer questions on their 2nd runway proposal. The Chairman of the "Gatwick Coordination Group", Crispin Blunt MP, invited Stewart Wingate, and Gatwick senior management to appear before the group in a Select Committee-style hearing in January 2015. But GAL has declined the invitation, saying GAL directors "do not think that a further public meeting is necessary". Commenting on GAL's decision, Sir Paul said "The MPs on the Gatwick Coordination Group collectively represent over half a million people whose lives stands to be affected by the airport's expansion. .... Gatwick have failed to answer key points on the resilience of their surface access plan. If a second runway was to be built at Gatwick access both to and from the airport would become extraordinarily difficult. .... Gatwick's refusal to participate in an extended public scrutiny ....is an abdication of their responsibility as a corporate citizen in both Surrey and Mole Valley. However, given GAL's inability to answer key questions on "show stopping" issues it is perhaps unsurprising they do not welcome further scrutiny."
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Airports Commission adds an Addendum document on noise levels to its consultation
The Airports Commission put out their consultation on the three runway schemes, on 11th November. But on 19th December the Commission added a document on noise, entitled the "National and local noise assessment addendum". It was prepared for the Commission by Jacobs, as many other papers including those on noise. The addendum deals with Imminent/Future Aircraft Modelling Assumptions. There are tables indicating the noise levels of current and future aircraft; the latter must be partly speculative. Jacobs says these future aircraft types have been modelled by using an existing similar aircraft as a surrogate type and adjusting the noise levels as required, for arrivals and departures separately. The noise forecasts for the runway options partly depend on the noise level of the aircraft in future as well as a forecast of the mix of aircraft using each runway. There is inevitably a large degree of uncertainty in any such forecasts.
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Commission publishes new report on “strategic fit” for its consultation – on possible impact of runways on air travel cost
The Airports Commission has published another report to form the background information for its consultation. The consultation is on details of runway plans at two runway options at Heathrow, and one at Gatwick, and ends on 3rd February. The new document is entitled "Impacts of Expanding Airport Capacity on Competition and Connectivity - The case of Gatwick and Heathrow" and is by the International Transport Forum. It comes under the "strategic fit" category, and supports the strategic fit analysis in the consultation. By strategic fit the Commission means:"To provide additional capacity and connectivity in line with the assessment of need" and "To improve the experience of passengers and other users of aviation." (Nothing to do with those affected by aviation impacts, but not passengers). The new document looks at possible scenarios of what might happen with either a Heathrow or Gatwick runway, and how airlines might react. While it is probable that both airports would have to put up landing charges, to pay for a runway etc, it is likely the extra runway capacity would reduce the cost of slots and therefore lead to lower fares. The extent this might happen is conjecture, as it is not possible to accurately predict airline etc behaviour in future.
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Etihad shortly to get first of 10 Airbus A380 but won’t buy more of them – also getting first of 71 Boeing 787 Dreamliners
Etihad Airways is about to get its first Airbus A380 and its first Boeing 787. Etihad has a total of 10 A380s on order over the next two and a half years, and now says it is not interested in ordering any more. The first starts service on 27th December, between Abu Dhabi and London, for one of its 3 flights per day. Eventually Etihad's service to Heathrow will be an all-A380 operation. Other routes are still being identified for the A380, which will be used on flagship routes where the airports are also slot constrained. It will be used on flights from Abu Dhabi to New York, Paris and Sydney. Etihad’s A380 features an all new premium cabin dubbed “The Residence”, a 3-room suite that includes a double bed and butler service, and costs $20,000 for the trip between Abu Dhabi and London. Etihad's first Dreamliner 787 will start service on 1st February, between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt. Etihad has 71 Dreamliners on order, 41 787-9s and 30 787-10s.
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New Gatwick paper questioning extent of benefits to local businesses from 2nd runway
An important objective set out by the Airports Commission is: "To maximise economic benefits…..To promote employment and economic growth in the local area….To produce positive outcomes for local communities and the local economy". A new paper by GACC (the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) challenges the assertion by Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL) that a 2nd runway would be supportive of this objective. By engaging with opinion from local business communities, and taking a less selective view of the evidence, GACC concludes that the proposal would be detrimental for local businesses, the local economy and the community as a whole. The GACC paper (6 pages, easy to read) deals with a range of topics (shortage of labour, higher costs, inward migration, need for more houses, road and rail congestion and worse local environment ) and includes comments from local businesses. Two examples are the problems of wages rising due to fierce competition for labour locally, where there is very low current unemployment. Also the cost to local businesses of road and rail congestion, wasting time - as well as losses to rural businesses from a deterioration in the local environment.
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