§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what additional steps he proposes to take to control noise from ground running aircraft at Gatwick;
(2) what progress has been made on the use of mufflers to reduce aircraft noise on the ground at Gatwick; and, in view of experience at Heathrow, what additional improvements he hopes to achieve at Gatwick in reducing such noise to a level at which few complaints will be received.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuMufflers for the BAC111 and the VC10 are now installed and in use. So far as I am aware ground running in the maintenance areas is not causing undue disturbance at the present time. We are still carrying out tests to check noise levels in various locations and conditions when these mufflers are in use, after which I shall consider whether any additional measures are necessary.
§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the increase in air movements at Gatwick, and the prospect of a 30 per cent. increase this summer and further increases thereafter, if he will now lay down a limit for the number of night flights there.
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§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuGatwick Airport is at present under-utilised and I consider that it must accept its share of London's summer night jet traffic. I do not propose to restrict the number of night jet movements at Gatwick in the summer of 1967, but I shall be reviewing the position as regards future years in a few months time.
§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the increase in air movements at Gatwick, if he will now approve, for the area around this airport, grants for the insulation of existing houses similar to those approved for the areas around Heathrow.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuAlthough there has been an increase in traffic, I consider that the arguments on this matter put forward by my right hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aviation, in the debate on 22nd December, 1965, still apply.—[Vol. 722, c. 2174–87.]
§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the President of the Board of Trade when he will set up a permanent noise monitoring unit at Gatwick.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuI hope to do so before the peak traffic occurs this summer.
§ Sir G. Sinclairasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will, while formulating proposals for an international standard predictor, establish noise levels for take-off and landing at Gatwick for both day and night flights.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuThe introduction of maximum permitted noise levels for jet aircraft at Gatwick is not dependent upon international agreement on a standard predictor of noisiness, but it is my intention to introduce jet take-off noise limits at Gatwick as soon as practicable.