NIGHT FLYING RESTRICTIONS AT LONDON AIRPORTS (Hansard, 2 February 1994)

§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

On 10 November 1993 the Secretary of State for Transport published proposals for revised night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for the 1994 summer season and for the arrangements to apply from winter 1994–95 until the end of the summer 1998 season. Comments on the summer 1994 proposals were invited by 31 December 1993 and on those applying for the longer term by 11 February 1994. As indicated in the consultation paper, airlines normally expect to finalise their timetables for the summer season during January. We acknowledged their need for an early decision by separating the proposals in the consultation paper to enable us to announce conclusions for the 1994 summer season in advance of those for the following years. The conclusions we have reached relate to the 1994 summer season only and in no way prejudge the conclusions we may reach in respect of the following four years.

On 6 July 1993, following an extensive period of consultation, the Government announced a new 97WA five-year policy for night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted whereby quotas, based on the noise rating of aircraft, would provide the basis of control. A quota was announced for each airport that would enable a greater number of movements at night to take place if the quieter types of aircraft were used or fewer movements if noisier types were used. Many people welcomed this approach. However, following judicial review proceedings, the court ruled that Section 78(3)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 requires specification of "the maximum number of occasions" on which aircraft may be permitted to take off or land in a specified period.

The proposals put to consultation in November were that there should be a movements limit for each airport with the quota system also applying as a supplementary control. An alternative approach was also set out which would dispense with the need for quotas but impose subsidiary limits on movements by the noisier types of aircraft. The responses to the consultation have shown that there is very little support for this alternative approach. We have therefore concluded that the night restrictions for summer 1994 should be in the form of movements limits supplemented by quotas. The movements limits and quotas for each airport for the summer 1994 season will be:

	Movements	Quota Limits
Heathrow	3,250	7,000
Gatwick	7,000	9,550
Stansted	6,500	4,200

The figures for Heathrow and Gatwick are as proposed in the consultation paper; the movements limit for Stansted is lower.

We also confirm that the provision in place for the current winter season for end of season flexibility up to 10 per cent. (and with penalty for excess thereafter) should apply, as proposed, to the movements limits as well as to the quotas for the summer season.

We have given careful consideration to the responses from airlines and aviation bodies asking to be allowed more movements, particularly at Heathrow and Gatwick. We have also given careful consideration to the responses from people living around the three airports, the local authorities and other local organisations, that the proposed movements limits and quotas were too high. Our aim remains, as previously, to maintain the policy of continuing to protect local communities from excessive exposure to aircraft noise while not unduly restricting those who wish to go about their business at night. We have concluded that the movements limits and quotas which we have confirmed today for all three airports should achieve this.

At Stansted it remains difficult to predict the likely pattern of traffic wishing to operate at night even only a few months ahead. Though traffic is still growing, operations have not developed quite as fast as they 98WA might have and this is reflected in the lower movement limit confirmed today. The movement limit for Stansted is still higher in relation to the quota than that for the other airports. This underlines our commitment to quieter aircraft. Services at Stansted are expected to expand. The numbers which we are confirming today should provide an incentive to those who operate those services to use only the quietest types of aircraft at night.

While the arrangements for reporting on movements and usage of the quota were generally welcomed, some responses raised doubts as to whether they would provide sufficient assurance that the system was being administered properly. It was suggested that the reporting arrangements should embrace "a full audit trail" to provide this assurance. We do not doubt the integrity of those operating the system at present but it is undoubtedly complex. It is right that people should be assured that it is being operated properly. We therefore welcome the suggestion-and the fact that it has come out of the present consultation-that the reporting arrangements should cover the full audit trail. We are therefore asking the Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee (ANMAC) to consider how best to achieve this.