Night Flights (Hansard, 6 May 1994)

§ Mr. MacGregor

The proposals that I published on 10 November 1993 for revised night flying restrictions

Winter	Movements Limit	Quota	Summer	Movements Limit	Quota
Heathrow
1994–95	2,550	5,000	1995	3,250	7,000
1995–96	2,550	5,000	1996	3,250	7,000
1996–97	2,550	5,000	1997	3,250	7,000
1997–98	2,550	5,000	1998	3,250	7,000
Gatwick
1994–95	3,000	6,820	1995	8,050	9,550
1995–96	3,750	6,820	1996	9,100	9,550
1996–97	4,500	6,820	1997	10,150	9,550
1997–98	5,250	6,820	1998	11,200	9,550
Stansted
1994–95	4,640	3,000	1995	6,750	4,200
1995–96	4,820	3,000	1996	7,000	4,200
1996–97	5,000	3,000	1997	7,000	4,200
1997–98	5,000	3,000	1998	7,000	4,200

The quotas for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted remain as I announced on 6 July 1993. The movements limits for Heathrow and Gatwick are as proposed in the November 1993 consultation. The Stansted movements limits that I am announcing for the first three seasons are slightly lower than those proposed, as was the movement limit for this summer announced on 1 February. I also confirm that the movements limits and quotas for Stansted have been set in the light of the present limit of 78,000 passenger air transport movements—ATM. I will review both the movements limits and the quotas if Parliament should approve an increase in the Stansted ATM limit before summer 1998.

The 10 per cent. end-of-season flexibility, with penalty for excess thereafter, will apply, as proposed, to the movements limits as well as to the quotas. The arrangements for dispensation also continue to apply. Experience of operating under the guidelines published on 6 July 1993 has shown the need for some minor amendments. These do not change the circumstances in 650W covered the arrangements for the 1994 summer season and those to apply from winter 1994–95 until the end of the summer 1998 season. We acknowledged the need for an early decision on the 1994 summer season by separating the proposals in the consultation paper and our conclusions for that season were announced by my hon. Friend, and my noble Friend on 1 February. The summer season commenced on 27 March and continues until 23 October. The conclusions that I am announcing today apply to the following four years.

Our November consultation paper proposed that there should be a movements limit for each airport with the quota system based on the noise certification of aircraft 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. As in respect of summer 1994, the responses for the following four years showed very little support for this alternative approach. I have therefore concluded that the night restrictions should continue to be in the form of movements limits supplemented by quotas. The classification of aircraft according to the quota count system, the hours of the night restrictions and the night quota period will remain as I announced on 6 July 1993.

The night-time movements limits and quotas for each airport for each season will be:—

which a dispensation might be considered but provide some further clarification for operators. I have placed a copy of the revised guidelines in the Library.

I have given careful consideration to the responses from people living around the three airports, the local authorities, environmental groups and local organisations and other representative bodies. I have also given careful consideration to the responses from airlines, aviation bodies and other user organisations. In general, the responses were more polarised than hitherto, reflecting not just the particular interests of those putting them forward but also, I am sure, the length of time for which we have been debating the issues. My aim is still to strike a fair balance between the different interests: to protect local people from excessive aircraft noise at night without unnecessarily impeding the airline industry. The movements limits and quotas that I have announced today for the three airports should achieve this. However, as explained in the November 1993 consultation paper, there are difficulties in setting appropriate movements limits several years ahead. I therefore confirm that, as proposed, the 651W Government will be prepared to consider adjustments to the movements limits prior to 1998 in the light of advice from the airport consultative committees.

I fully acknowledge that aircraft noise at night may disturb the sleep of some people near airports and that it is a matter of concern to many others who fear that they might be disturbed. However, a complete ban on night flights could not be justified. For many years, it has been the Government's policy to allow night operations to continue while seeking to ensure that eventually all such operations would be carried out by quiet types of aircraft. In my announcement on 6 July last year I drew attention to the great strides that had been made by the industry in phasing out older, noisier aircraft and to the regulations to ensure the phasing out between 1995 and 2002 of what are now described as the noisier chapter 2 jets. Those are aircraft once regarded as quiet.

The arrangements that I have confirmed today continue the policy of encouraging the use of the most modern and quietest types of aircraft. This will permit some increase in movements provided that the quietest types of aircraft are used but the noise quotas will keep overall night noise levels well below those for summer 1988 at Heathrow and Gatwick. The movements limits provide overall control on the number of movements at night. I understand the worries expressed by local people that substantial growth of the number of movements, irrespective of the noise performance of the aircraft concerned, might bring additional disturbance from the ground operations associated with those aircraft. I therefore indicated in the November 1993 consultation paper that we were considering whether to initiate a new study into ground noise at airports at night to see whether further measures of amelioration or control might be appropriate. This has been generally welcomed. I therefore confirm that I have asked my officials to consider further with BAA plc, which is responsible for measures to control ground noise at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, the scope and form that such a study might take, arid to present proposals to me by the end of this year.

I also confirm that the monitoring and reporting arrangements announced on 6 July 1993 and 1 February 1994 are under way. These are being overseen by the Department's aircraft noise monitoring advisory committee and comprise

(a) a review of the longstanding departure noise levels of 102 PNdB (night) and 110 PNdB (day), 89 and 97 dBA respectively;
(b) the monitoring of noise performance of aircraft covered by the QC classification;
(c) reports by each airport to their consultative committee on all night movements, whether covered by quota, or by exempt types of aircraft, or granted exemptions or dispensations;
(d) suitable confirmation that the reporting arrangements cover the full audit trail;
(e) an initial report by ANMAC on the performance of the new night restrictions system after the first year of operation.