Jet noise still too high say residents

Jun 22 2009 By Adam Courtney

FLIGHTPATH residents say BAA is still underestimating the amount of people affected by jet noise, despite the authority admitting it got the figures wrong by more than 50%.

In its Noise Action Plan for Heathrow, published last week following a 16 week period of public consultation, BAA acknowledged for the first time over 700,000 people are affected by aircraft noise from the airport, more than twice the number it previously admitted to.

But the action plan has been described as “deeply disappointing” by residents’ campaign group HACAN, because it sets out no firm plans to reduce noise from the airport.

HACAN chairman John Stewart said: “At long last BAA has been forced to creep into the real world and admit that many more than 300,000 people are affected by aircraft noise. But even this admission is an underestimate. The World Health Organisation estimates that over a million people are affected. "

One of many places affected is Lower Sunbury, and the villages residents association, LOSRA, says it is unsurprised BAA has been forced to climb down.

Chairman John Hirsh said: "The outcome of the noise report comes as no surprise to those whose daily lives are affected. The 300,000 figure was always considered to be woefully low. It's not surprising that it took pressure from the European Union for the BAA to publish something which merely approaches the truth."

The European Union requires all member states to draw up Noise Action Plans for airports with 50,000 movements a year. In a move condemned by campaign groups, DEFRA asked the airports themselves to draw up the plans for aircraft noise and they were asked to change the way the measure it.

But, despite producing a more realistic figure, HACAN conducted its own survey in Vauxhall, London, which, like Lower Sunbury, is beyond the boundary BAA claims can produce nuisance noise. It found 39 planes flew over within an hour, the vast majority of them over 70 decibels.

Mr Stewart added: “Overall the Noise Action Plan is extremely disappointing. It contains lots of words but absolutely no firm plans to reduce noise. The fault lies more with the Government than with BAA. DEFRA has completely shirked its responsibilities in asking the commercial operator of the airport to draw up the noise action plan.”