Airports Commission considers aviation noise
Aviation noise discussion paper released.
The Airports Commission has published Aviation noise, the fifth in a series of discussion papers, for public comment.
The paper explores current scientific understanding and existing policy on aviation and noise and seeks responses to questions to develop the evidence base. It discusses the impacts of aviation noise on health, the issue of annoyance and how this develops over time. It considers different methodologies for measuring noise and approaches to mitigation. And it looks at specific issues, including night noise.
Sir Howard Davies, the Chair of the Airports Commission, said:
Understanding the impact of noise from aviation on communities around airports and under flight paths is central to the Airport Commission’s work.
Responses received on this important issue will inform the Commission’s assessment of options to make best use of existing airport capacity and any future recommendations to Government for new airport capacity.
The paper further demonstrates the Commission’s evidence based approach. Parties are invited to submit evidence to the Commission on the issues raised in the paper by 6 September 2013.
Notes to editors
The Airports Commission was launched on 2 November 2012. Its terms of reference require that it should report no later than the end of 2013 on:
- its assessment of the evidence on the nature, scale and timing of the steps needed to maintain the UK’s global hub status
- its recommendation(s) for immediate actions to improve the use of existing runway capacity in the next 5 years – consistent with credible long term options
Its terms of reference also require that it should report no later than summer 2015 on:
- its assessment of the options for meeting the UK’s international connectivity needs, including their economic, social and environmental impact
- its recommendation(s) for the optimum approach to meeting any needs
- its recommendation(s) for ensuring that the need is met as expeditiously as practicable within the required timescale
Media enquiries
Airports Commission 020 7944 4292 (out of hours)
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