The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

130 Mayor of London
The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy
4C.25 The Mayor’s view is that the imbalance in the number of people under the
westerly and easterly flightpaths approaching Heathrow is a strong factor
supporting adoption of easterly preference (approaching from the west
except when wind or other conditions dictate otherwise) for any night
flights. There are many more people living beneath flightpaths to the east
of the airport (in London) than to the west. If the night rotation scheme
which the Government has chosen does not substantially allay public
concern, the Government should consult on introduction of full easterly
preference at night (i.e. affecting the fewest people).
Box 42: European Court of Human Rights - Night flights
The Mayor provided a first sum of £20,000 towards a case concerning
night noise regulation at Heathrow, taken on behalf of affected residents
(Hatton and others) to the European Court of Human Rights. The case
was supported by a wide range of interests including community
organisations and local authorities. The first finding of the European
Court of Human Rights 23 was that the UK Government had violated
Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life and home) in its
decisions in 1993 on control of night flights at Heathrow Airport. It found
that adequate and independent evidence on the economic case had not
been produced, and also that insufficient account had been taken of
getting to sleep, or getting back to sleep, as distinct from being woken
once asleep. The UK Government announced on 19 December 2001 that
it was appealing on grounds related to its legal scope for discretion. The
European Court announced in April 2002 that it would allow the case to
go forward to a Grand Chamber hearing. The Mayor provided a second
sum of £20,000 towards the legal costs of the case on behalf of affected
residents. The second finding of the Court, issued on 8 July 2003,
effectively overturned its earlier Article 8 ruling. 24
4C.26 Some groups of people, notably older people and those with some types
of illness, are more likely to wake at night, and to have more difficulty
getting back to sleep, once woken 25 . If sufficient reductions cannot be
achieved at source consideration should be given to targeted measures
(see Spatial planning and building insulation below).
policy 42
policy 43
The Mayor supports the view that night flights should be banned. In the
short term, the night quota period at Heathrow should be extended to
cover the whole period from 2300 to 0700 hours, and relevant controls
and financial incentives used to minimise adverse impacts within
component sub-periods.
The Mayor will urge the Government to assess the effects of weekly night
rotation of runway preferential use at Heathrow, when the scheme has