All of Heathrow Airport lies within the boundaries of the London Borough of Hillingdon but, of course, flights in and out of the airport impact upon Spelthorne residents to a greater or lesser extent. Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports with 65 million passengers now using the airport every year in 360,000 arrivals and departures.
The Borough has no direct daily control over aircraft movements, as aircraft noise was made exempt from nuisance legislation back in the1920’s. Despite this fact, the borough is consulted on any changes to operating procedures at Heathrow and Spelthorne councillors consider these consultations and generally submit detailed responses.
The Government or specifically the Department for Transport (DfT) regulates the operating procedures under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. If you have a complaint about a particular aircraft event, you should contact the airport’s Flight Evaluation unit on 0800 344844. They can also be contacted for advice if you are considering purchasing a house in the area, i.e. they can advise on whether or not the house location is under a flight path. (This is nominally a three kilometres wide swathe, as obviously aircraft cannot be flown like trains on a railway line). Adherence to these swathes is monitored by BAA’s Flight Evaluation unit (see above), using their Noise and Track system, which they operate on behalf of the DfT Spelthorne Borough Council representatives attend the Noise and Track Working Group (NTK) and the Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee (HACC), which receives regular information and statistics on the performance of airlines in keeping to the designated departure routes
It is not the policy of BAA ‘s Flight Evaluation unit to accept noise complaints via the Council, on an individual basis, but we would always investigate a particular trend involving a number of residents, and let you know the possible reason for a perceived change to normal operations. e-mail domestic@spelthorne.gov.ukor telephone 01784 446251. An example of this took place in 2002; Concorde was taking off from the northern runway for safety reasons, resulting in a slightly different track being flown.
Operational procedures and mitigation measures employed at Heathrow
Two main runways are normally used at Heathrow Airport, the runways are orientated West/East at the North and South of the airport. A diagonal runway is very occasionally used in conditions of high cross winds or in emergencies. Take-offs occur on one runway with landings on the other.
Aircraft, in general, take off and land into the wind. The airport is in a westerly mode of operation when the wind is blowing from the west or very light winds are coming from the east. The prevailing winds and present operational preference mean that the airport is on westerly operations for approximately 75% of the time.
To share the burden of noise pollution; runway usage is alternated at 3pm e.g. the southern runway could be used for take offs during the period 6.30am until 3pm with landings on the northern runway will have landings on the southern until 11.30pm. The system is further alternated on a weekly basis. This alternation only happens on westerly operations as the so-called Cranford Agreement means that on easterly operations departures occur throughout the day on the southern runway. This is the reason that Stanwell residents suffer periods of continual taxiing noise occasionally all day sometimes during periods of good weather with positive easterly winds. From 1999 the runway alteration system was introduced into the night period.
The NTK system, as well as NPR adherence, measures the noise created on take-off at fixed monitors. If an aircraft exceeds the limits set by the DfT (the limit is set at a lower level at night) by up to three decibels, the airline is fined £500. If the excedance is greater than three decibels, the fine is £1000. For safety reasons no system of fining is imposed on aircraft landing. The money collected over a 1-year period is distributed to community projects that have made bids for fines money
Night flights
Although night flights, (principally arrivals), continue to disturb some residents there has never been a complete ban on night flights at Heathrow Airport. There is, however, a system of quotas that regulates both the overall number of movements and a supplementary quota system depending on the loudness of individual aircraft aggregated to a total. The night quota period is 11.30pm to 6am.
The DfT will be consulting this summer on the night flights regime on possible changes to the system that could be introduced from October 2005.
Spelthorne is a member of the Local Authorities Air Noise Council (LAANC), which was founded in the 1960s as an umbrella local authority organisation representing the residents around Heathrow airport. The objects of LAANC remain to examine all problems arising from the impact of aircraft noise (both in flight and on the ground) web site www.laanc.com (external website) or write to LAANC 2 Rivermount, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5PH
Following on from the publication by the Government of its Airports Policy White Paper in December 2003 the DfT will be consulting on possible changes in the operational procedures at Heathrow Airport in order to increase the capacity in passenger throughput. The changes could include abolishing runway alternation; the Cranford Agreement and westerly preference.
The long term objective for Heathrow Airport set by the Government is to build a third runway north of the A4 if European Community targets on air quality can be met. Spelthorne Borough Council will be consulted along with other bodies; however, individuals can also request consultation documents and submit a response to the DfT.
