HC Deb 28 October 1996 vol 284 cc326-7
20. Mr. Jessel

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to reduce aircraft noise around Heathrow. [569]

Mr. Bowis

On 28 August 1996, the Government announced more stringent noise limits for aircraft taking off from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, to come into effect on 1 January 1997. Between 1979 and 1992, there was a 77 per cent. reduction in the number of people living around Heathrow exposed to levels of aircraft noise likely to cause annoyance. This was achieved despite a 41 per cent. growth in the number of air transport movements. The compulsory phasing out of older, noisier, chapter 2 aircraft by 31 March 2002 is expected to bring further improvements. The United Kingdom played a leading role in securing international agreement to that.

Mr. Jessel

Although the Government stopped the fifth terminal at Heathrow last time round in 1985—

Mr. Mellor

1984.

Mr. Jessel

1985—and although they stopped the Heathrow-Gatwick helicopter link and have contained the number of night flights at Heathrow to one in 60, is my hon. Friend aware that there are now more than 1,000 flights every day from Heathrow, that my constituents regard the noise as a pestilence and that they want the noise drastically curtailed?

Mr. Bowls

My hon. Friend is, as always, a robust defender of his constituents, and rightly so. He will have noted, I believe with pleasure, that as from 1 January next year the decibels permitted will be reduced for daytime flights from 97 to 94 and for night-time flights from 89 to 87. Fines are applicable if aircraft exceed those limits. As of tonight, experiments with alternating runways will take place for night flights, which should help my hon. Friend's constituents in Twickenham.

Mr. Mackinlay

What about terminal 5?

Mr. Bowls

Terminal 5 is a question for the planning inquiry, not for me today.