Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has commissioned research on the health impacts of living under concentrated flight paths in the context of airspace modernisation.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.
All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Airspace Modernisation Programme, whether he plans to review the effect on the wellbeing of affected people of the introduction of highly concentrated flight paths in the United States.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.
All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Airspace Modernisation Programme on the number of people living under highly concentrated flight paths in (a) south west London and (b) the UK.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.
All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the number of people living under highly concentrated flight paths in (a) south west London and (b) the UK.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.
All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impacts of highly concentrated flight paths on overflown communities.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All major airports are required to map their noise impacts on a common basis every five years. However, there is no definition of ‘highly concentrated flightpath’ so no specific assessment has been made of the number of people impacted by such flightpaths.
All proposals to alter flightpath arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process (CAP 1616) which was revised in 2018 following the publication by the department of revised air navigation guidance. This guidance sets out the Government’s objective to limit and, where possible, reduce the total adverse effects on people as a result of aviation noise.
A key requirement in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering. Noise impacts must be assessed using the Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance which includes a module for valuing the impacts of noise on health and quality of life.
The Government accepts that there are health impacts associated with aircraft noise and keeps all relevant evidence under review. The Department has previously commissioned research on the effects of aviation noise on annoyance, health and wellbeing and has tasked the CAA to carry out a further survey in the next year.
The airspace modernisation programme is a critical national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to the benefit of all airspace users and those impacted, including communities. Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. Engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including communities, is an important part of CAP1616 and is crucial to the success of the airspace modernisation programme. It is the responsibility of every airspace change sponsor (usually an airport or Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)) to ensure engagement meets the needs of local stakeholders. The majority of sponsors in the programme are currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Once approved by the CAA, each sponsor will move to Stage 3. It is at this stage that sponsors will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities. We expect that the majority of sponsors will be in a position to consult publicly from 2023 onwards.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with South Western Railway regarding the proposed timetable changes from December 2022.
Answered by Wendy Morton
Department officials have been in regular communication with South Western Railway and are being kept informed of timetable developments and the latest passenger demand across their network.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects South Western Railway to announce the timetable changes scheduled for December 2022.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Department has been working closely with South Western Railway (SWR) as it develops future timetable plans. The industry standard is to publish details of timetable changes 12 weeks before they come into effect and the Department expects the operator to keep its stakeholders updated.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce the number of commercial helicopter flights over densely populated areas and (b) minimise the risk of those flights to the safety of people on the ground.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Requirements for commercial helicopter flights are set by the CAA, which does not have a remit to reduce the number of commercial helicopter flights over densely populated areas.
Helicopter pilots are required to take account of weather, terrain and obstacles when selecting their routes and to consider the ability to land without undue hazard to person or property in the event of a forced landing. In the London area, routes are in place for single-engine helicopters that largely follow rivers and open spaces; multi-engine helicopters have greater freedom (as the loss of one engine will not require immediate forced landing). In many built-up areas, pilots are subject to the provision of Air Traffic Control Services. The level of oversight of commercial organisations by the CAA also gives assurance that the flight profiles followed are appropriate, the crew members are competent and have met all training requirements, and that the helicopters are adequately maintained.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on the number and proportion of accidents that have involved at least one left hand drive vehicle in each of the last three years.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The number and proportion of reported personal injury road accidents in Great Britain involving at least one left hand drive vehicle from 2018 to 2020 can be found in the table RAS40005 here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1021691/ras40005.ods