HC Deb 28 January 2000 vol 343 cc357-8W
Caroline Flint

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many complaints have been received in respect of noise in the previous 12 months at(a) Humberside, (b) Sheffield, (c) Manchester, (d) Leeds-Bradford, (e) Birmingham International, (f) East Midlands, (g) Newcastle, (h) Liverpool Speke, (i) Luton, (j) Stansted, (k) Heathrow and (l) Gatwick airport; [107000]

(2) what percentage of (i) passengers and (ii) employees at each of (a) Humberside, (b) Sheffield, (c) Manchester, (d) Leeds-Bradford, (e) Birmingham International, (f) East Midlands, (g) Newcastle, (h) Liverpool Speke, (i) Luton, (j) Stansted, (k) Heathrow and (l) Gatwick airport arrived by public transport in the last 12 months; [107001]

(3) how many residential properties lay within the 63 decibel contour at the most recent date for which information is available at (a) Humberside, (b) Sheffield, (c) Manchester, (d) Leeds-Bradford, (e) Birmingham International, (f) East Midlands, (g) Newcastle, (h) Liverpool Speke, (i) Luton, (j) Stansted, (k) Heathrow and (l) Gatwick airport. [106999]

Mr. Mullin

Figures available from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the numbers of passengers arriving at the following airports by public transport in the last 12-month period reported were:

Airport Percentage
1994 Humberside 7
1998 Manchester 10
1992 Leeds-Bradford 2
1996 Birmingham 8
1992 East Midlands 3
1994 Newcastle 8
1996 Luton 14
1996 Stansted 33
1998 Heathrow 32
1998 Gatwick 30

The CAA does not hold figures for the numbers of employees arriving at airports by public transport.

For the three airports designated under the Civil Aviation Act 1982 the numbers of complaints about aircraft noise, as recorded by BAA plc in 1999, were:

  • Heathrow: 8,465
  • Gatwick: 2,129
  • Stansted: 6,624.

Information is not held on the number of residential properties within the 63 dB(A) contours at these airports. However, the populations living within the 63 dB(A) contours in 1998 were:

  • Heathrow: 79,900
  • Gatwick: 1,500
  • Stansted: 1,300.

Figures for 1999 are not yet available.

The Government do not hold information on noise complaints received at other airports, or on the number of residential properties within their 63 dB(A) contours. The populations living within the 63 dB(A) contours at Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds-Bradford airports are reported in "Transport Statistics of Great Britain 1999". The latest data available in each case are:

  • Manchester (1997): 9,500
  • Birmingham (1998): 16,500
  • Leeds-Bradford (1995): less than 100.

We are presently carrying out a series of studies looking at the role of regional airports, and in connection with these intend to carry out further work on the noise impact of a number of the larger regional airports.