Aircraft noise

Freedom Trials begin at Heathrow airport on 1st November 2011

The Council will be monitoring resident’s views and will represent these in a consultation process with the airport. Complete the online survey to make your views known about any aircraft related disturbances you experience during the freedom trails or call the Noiseline at 020 8891 7979 (24 hr answer phone).

From 1 Nov 2011 until 29 February 2012 and again from 1 July 2012 until 30 September 2012 a new trial will be undertaken at Heathrow airport. This will involve periods when both landing paths will be in use at the same time, instead of the normal use of alternation, whereby aircraft land on one path for half the day and then switch and land on the other path for the rest of the day. The switch over happens at 3pm.

The twin landing proposal was a recommendation of the Government’s South East Airports Taskforce, which was set up in 2010 to look at making more efficient and flexible use of the two existing runways. The Task Force felt that the airport needed more resilience, to help it recover from delays. One way to do this is to land aircraft out of the normal alternation pattern. In other words, aircraft would be allowed to land on the runway which would otherwise be used for takeoffs.

The 3pm switch of runways enables residents under the flight paths to have a regular and predictable half day respite from aircraft noise. We know that this respite is valued by the communities for the benefit of health and wellbeing. The Minister has committed to retaining it, although she has also approved that the ‘freedom trial’ should go ahead.

The freedom trial will permit Heathrow to operate not only dual arrivals but also dual departures (but not at the same time). The aim of the dual arrivals is to reduce the time that aircraft spend in the holding stacks. The benefit of this includes reduced delays for passengers; reduced wasting of fuel; it may reduce emissions and may also reduce the number of late-running flights after 22:30.  

Although the benefits are appreciated, probably the main concern for residents will be that aircraft landing to the wrong runway will result in a loss of respite, with a consequent increase in noise when there should be relative peace. This peaceful respite is something that residents prize highly. It is not something they will wish to lose, whatever the benefits to airlines or their passengers. There are also some businesses and residents in the Borough who specifically rely on the certainty of the respite, and plan their weekly activities around it.

Find more details on the trial here.

Heathrow issues - at a glance

This aircraft noise section is included to give information on:

• The way that aircraft noise affects residents in the different parts of the Borough, both day and night
• The history and future proposals for expansion of the airport
• How the Borough has joined forces with other boroughs in legal action, to reduce the existing impacts and prevent any worsening of the noise climate.

Broadly speaking, residents in the north of the Borough (Barnes, Sheen, Mortlake, Kew, Richmond) hear the noise of aircraft as they land westerly. Whereas residents in Twickenham, Teddington Whitton and the Hamptons hear the noise of aircraft taking-off easterly.

Many residents of the Borough are concerned at the relentless expansion of Heathrow, with the attendant air pollution and noise pollution. The new coalition government (2010) has now confirmed that there is no longer a policy for a third runway and BAA have confirmed that they have stopped work on their third runway planning application. However, there may yet be pressure for more night flights and to expand the airport in other ways. The Council is aware that this causes great concern for many residents and is committed to opposing the intensified use of Heathrow.