The Government’s new policy on aviation is disappointing and has failed to respond to environmental concerns on air quality and noise, the London Assembly said today.
The Assembly’s Environment Committee says the final version of the Government’s new Aviation Policy Framework[1] fails to deliver on tackling airport noise, even though this was the leading theme of responses[2] during the consultation phase.
The Government has not taken up the recommendation, put forward by the Committee and most of the consultation respondents, of a new benchmark for identifying communities most affected by noise[3].
In a letter to the Transport Secretary[4], Patrick McLoughlin, the Committee also says the policy framework is weak on compensation for residents disturbed by aircraft because it supports self-regulation which has so far failed to produce a satisfactory scheme for people living around Heathrow.
The Committee says there has been little improvement in pollution levels around Heathrow for more than a decade and areas around the airport already breach European Union air quality limits.
The Committee states that any environmental safeguards around new airport capacity must be fit for purpose and make a positive difference to the environment and health of people living close to airports.
It is also disappointed there is no commitment to national action, such as including aviation in the five-year national carbon budgets. It says delays and uncertainty over the European emissions trading scheme should be an argument for decisive national action, not against.
Murad Qureshi AM, Chair of the Environment Committee, said: “When the Government published its aviation policy framework in draft form, it asked the right questions about noise, air quality and climate change, but the final version fails to deliver on these.
“It is disappointing that so few of the recommendations we and others made have been taken up by the Government.
“This represents a missed opportunity to respond to the very real concerns people have about the environmental impacts of aviation. We very much hope any future regulations will remedy this.”
Notes for Editors:
- The Government says its Aviation Policy Framework provides the baseline for the Airports Commission to take into account on important issues such as aircraft noise and climate change. It also sets out government’s objectives on the issues which will challenge and support the development of aviation across the UK. Read the final version of the framework in full.
- P6 of the Government’s summary of consultation responses says noise was the most popular theme in responses to the consultation.
- The current benchmark for measuring the level at which individuals become annoyed at noise is the 57dBLAeq contour, but the Committee recommended a different measure known as the 55dBLden be used instead. The Committee argued that the 57dB LAeq contour does not fully reflect the numbers of people affected by aircraft noise and is inconsistent with EU requirements for drawing up noise action plans. The LAeq method records plane noise in decibels (dB) and averages them over 16 hours to arrive at a single daily figure, which is averaged out over the year. The dB Lden method uses the combined effect of noise levels during the day, evening and night and averages them over a 24-hour period. It also weights the evening and night noise levels by adding 5dB and 10dB respectively to reflect the greater nuisance of noise at those times.
- See the letter sent to Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport by the Assembly’s Health and Environment Committee about the Aviation Policy Framework
- The Chair of the former Environment Committee, Murad Qureshi AM, is available for interview. See contact details below.
- The Committee has built up a considerable body of work on the environmental impacts of aviation. Our report, Flights of Fancy, in January 2010, warned of a lack of co-ordinated mitigation measures to reduce nitrogen dioxide around Heathrow, highlighted concerns over a disproportionate reliance on aircraft technology, and raised concerns about the inadequacy of existing and proposed transport measures to mitigate air pollution levels. Our report Plane Speaking, in March 2012 called for increased use of greener, quieter aircraft, ensuring on-site vehicles meet the latest EU emissions standards, and reducing airport-related road traffic.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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