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Runway trial includes '10-minute rule' (From This Is Local London)
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Heathrow runway trial includes 10-minute rule
8:00am Wednesday 5th October 2011 in News By Paul Teed
Angry: John Stewart
Heathrow has revealed planes will be able to use both runways if they are running just 10 minutes late during two controversial trials at the airport.
Households living under the flight paths expressed their concern after BAA released further details of the proposals.
Campaign group Hacan Clearskies claimed the four-month trials - the first starting on November 1 - could spell the end of residents’ half day of rest from the sound of aircraft roaring overhead.
BAA, which has urged the airport’s neighbours to come forward with any concerns, said the measures would cut delays and reduce the number of night flights.
Tim Hardy, director of airside operations at Heathrow, said: “We understand residents’ concerns about noise in respite periods. That is why I encourage people to contact us to tell us their views during the trial.”
Planes landing at Heathrow currently switch runways halfway through the day to ensure households under the flight paths have a break from the noise.
The airport will still make the change at 3pm during the trials, but could temporarily use both if aircraft are running more than 10 minutes late.
John Stewart, chairman of Hacan Clearskies, said: “This is much, much worse than we had expected. This ‘10 minute rule’ could effectively destroy the respite period.”
Heathrow will carry out another three-month trial next summer during the Olympics.
BAA said small incidents at the airport could currently lead to delays because it was operating at close to capacity.
This causes frustration for passengers and planes burn more fuel as they wait to land, the group said.
Air traffic control would judge when the airport should use both runways simultaneously.
Such circumstances would include during a strong headwind on approach, when 30 per cent of flights are running outside the 15 per cent punctuality target and following a period of disruption caused by incidents such as snowfall. Mr Hardy said: “This trial has the potential to bring benefits to local residents, passengers and the environment. It will not result in any additional flights and could mean fewer unscheduled night flights and a more predictable and punctual service.”
The Government will launch a consultation before deciding whether to permanently grant the airport greater flexibility.
To contact the Heathrow community relations team with feedback on the trial, call 020 8745 5791 or email heathrowcommunityrelations@baa.com. For more information, visit heathrowairport.com.
Are you concerned about the trials? To comment on this story, visit rttimes.co.uk
Comments(7)
Samuel Yates
says...
12:15pm Mon 10 Oct 11
In response to your comment, Duchy27, you are right: some planes do arrive out of the alternation schedule, i.e. on the wrong arrivals approach flightpath, but the number is currently relatively small, averaging around 10-12 in a given 'shift', i.e. 07:00-15:00 or 15:00-23:00.
However, the worrying aspect of the increased operational freedoms, to be trialled November-February and July-September, is the potential for far more planes to arrive in breach of the alternation schedule. As Paul Teed indicates, the criteria being proposed by BAA for when 'dual-mode' arrivals could be used are very loose indeed - see http://www.heathrowa
irport.com/portal/pa
ge/Heathrow+noise%5E
General%5ENoise+in+y
our+area%5EOperation
al+trial/1d532f25264
b2310VgnVCM100000368
21c0a____/448c6a4c7f
1b0010VgnVCM20000035
7e120a____/
for details - and a significant erosion of the current 'relief periods' seems inevitable.
BAA/Heathrow will, of course, be hoping that the trials lead to a permanent change in government policy - a change in the direction of increased aviational flexibility and reduced local protection - but there will be a process of local consultation during, between and after the trials. This is a window of opportunity we must make use of. I therefore implore anyone concerned by these developments to register their views/worries as soon as possible - via the HACAN WritetoThem facility (http://www.hacan.or
g.uk/) and via the Heathrow Community Relations team (heathrowcommunityre
lations@baa.com) - before they can no longer be heard!
Yours, sincerely and concernedly,
Dr Samuel Yates, Richmond.
Gareth Roberts
says...
1:17pm Mon 10 Oct 11
It was cancelled with no consultation or notification by this increasingly out of touch administration back in April 2011 even though they're pretty wealthy all things considered.
alex twickenham
says...
6:53pm Mon 10 Oct 11
How about a little genuine consideration and concern for affected residents rather than yet more political sniping? Perhaps an endorsement of Dr Yates' post? Reading Gareth's recent posts, one is forced to wonder whether he is good for anything other than self-indulgent repartee.
Alex.
Gareth Roberts
says...
11:03pm Mon 10 Oct 11
If, as a Hampton Councillor, you feel my opinion is invalid, perhaps you could canvass that of your, self confessed, personal friend, Cllr Naylor whose ward must surely be affected.
And, before the usual tumult of nonsense, Alex would you agree with me that the axing of the council's dedicated noise hotline was a mistake?
alex twickenham
says...
12:08pm Tue 11 Oct 11
As to C'llr Naylor - I'm quite amused by Gareth's: "self confessed, personal friend" bit - yet again he has changed my words in an earlier post which were: "I should declare that I know C'llr Naylor in a private capacity". As an elected Councillor shouldn't Roberts be a bit more accurate with his purple prose if he expects us to take him seriously? After all, I was quite open - would that others were. As we can see from today's national headlines - inuendo about friendship and business relationships are rife and divert focus from the real business of the day.
So, back to the thread - I wonder what C'llr Roberts thinks about the threat to the respite offered by runway alternation?
Over to you Councillor.
Alex
Gareth Roberts
says...
5:24pm Tue 11 Oct 11
I'm rather pleased to have my post described as a pyramid. You see what my post and a pyramid have in common is that they both have a point. Thank you for acknowledging the fact.
As for what I think about the threat to respite, naturally I would be keen to see as little, if any, additional disruption to already disrupted lives as is possible.
It's a shame that the short sighted decision taken by this administration means that tax payers will no longer have the facility available to make their views known directly to the council.
duchy27 says...
2:11pm Thu 6 Oct 11