Aircraft noise - have your say...

[SplendidLikePeckham]

I know aircraft noise is a concern to many forumites, myself incuded, especially early morning aircraft heading to Heathrow to land.

A new night flight regime is due to be brought in next year. It will dictate how many aircraft are allowed to land before 6am for the next few years - there is a chance the number could go up which could make the situation worse. So please, if you are bothered by this issue take a few minutes to look at and respond to the Dept of Transports Aviation consultation "scoping document" ...page 32 looks at the issue of night flights (those between 11pm and 6am). At least it does acknowledge the problem, so there is hope that something might be done to curb the number of early landings or vary the approach paths... The consulation ends in September.

Aviation consultation

There's more info here as well....

Hacan

You don't have to give a vastly detailed response, and you only need to look at the specific issues you are bothered by, but traditionally this is seen as a West London problem, and the anti-noise lobby in that side of town has

certainly been more vocal .I have read that because there are viewer complaints from South East London it is not "officially" seen as a problem here, and yet for many it clearly is.

And yes before anyone asks I do occasionally fly on aircraft myself, and no I don't think we should all be flying by balloon instead. I simply think that the lives of many people could be improved if they weren't woken at a quarter to five in the morning, and believe a change to the current policy of allowing 16 planes to land before 6am could bring a real improvement to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners right across the capital ... and I'm not the only one (yes the research below was commissioned by Hacan, but it certainly has a ring of truth about it in my opinion)

Night flights article

[Curmudgeon]

I think I must be deaf as I've never been bothered by aircraft noise in the many years I've lived in ED

[oilworker]

Actually , neither have I , or for that matter anyone in my family. Splendid, if it werent the aircraft waking you up it'd just be something else, bin-men, milkman, foxes shagging etc etc - you live in a big city after all...

[Gussy]

I noticed it a lot since I moved here from N.London, but maybe that's because it's generally quieter on the roads/streets so I never noticed it before with all the other noise of buses/sirens etc where we were....I don't know but it does annoy me when it wakes the kids up which happens quite a bit. Some planes do seem like they are a few feet above the house!

[Sue]

Crikey, you people who don't notice it, do you have double glazing?

[Pearson]

Jeez, we live in a global capital city...

if you can't handle aircraft noise move to Orkney or somewhere else suitably quiet.

[TonyQuinn]

I can barely remember seeing let alone hearing a plane. Get real or move out!

[2Sheds]

...................then Mr Quinn you're not very observant and probably a little deaf sir!

[EDmummy]

Yes, I accept that I fly and I live in a global city. I don't particularly have a problem with the current levels of noise from planes (although during the Icelandic volcano episode it was blissful city in my garden with only the low hum of vehicles and the sound of birds) but I couldn't cope with any more noise. I sleep with my bedroom window open almost all year round (except for this exceptionally cold winter) and do end up slowly waking up to the sound of planes from about 5am but any extension to the number of planes would severely affect my wellbeing!

Come on everyone, put your ED weight behind this campaign!

[joel devlin]

I have always been aware of the planes especialy in the evenings and mornings. Perhaps it because my lounge and bedroom windows look to the west. More often than not I am brought around between 04.00 and 05.30 by the booming of airbrakes. I've come to accept the current noise levels, though if the noise increases it will probably be worth looking into double glazing.

[Pearson]

Little wonder the country is in the state is is when we have to resort to

the above and campaigns and bla bla bla etc..

All that's really needed to save the ?860million a year health costs are these:

http://comfyearplugs.com/images/buy_soft_white_silicone_earplugs.jpg

[Ann]

I agree EDmummy, the planes wake me daily and it's been discussed extensively on these forums before. I'm not sure that campaigning will make much difference but who knows?

I truly envy all of those who never hear them!

[Sue]

All of London is not equally affected by plane noise, Pearson.

Certain areas are on flight paths, and this is one of them, unfortunately.

And it has got very much worse since I moved here twenty years ago.

[Pearson]

I'm not disputing anything you're saying there Sue.

Hence ear plugs for the WIN! It is the most economic and instant solution.

Alternatively you could try Southwark noise police ;-)

[Sue]

:)-D

[speedbird]

Just a thought, but have you considered the impact this action would have on an already poor UK economy, the prices you may want to pay for your holiday, the fact that so many people come into and out of the UK for business meetings, that allow the UK to compete in a global market? The fact that most of the early arrivals are bringing in business people from the USA and the Asia markets to provide income into the empty coffers of the country....

The deafening silence of the close of airspace that volcanic ash brought upon us had the potential to bring the world economy to the ground. Consider the facts before a few hours undisturbed sleep.

Perhaps consider the earplugs if it really wakes you up? :))

[Pearson]

speedbird = aeroplane :))

[speedbird]

Ha ha.... No s**t Sherlock !! :)-D

[Gimme]

To all those who have said they are never being bothered by aircraft noise in ED: you are either deaf, have grown up with it or live in a part of ED that manages to avoid being directly under the flightpath.

We unfortunately are not deaf, have not grown up with it and live in the part of ED which has 747s or other big planes whining directly overhead sometimes every 90 seconds (FYI - there seems to be a path down Barry Rd then cutting over Goose Green as you can see plane after plane following the same path; you never seem to see planes going directly over Dulwich Village end but it might just be lack of sight-line to that area...). For years after we moved to ED we were plagued by the noise particularly at 4am or on a sunny summers day when in the garden. For some reason we aren't so bothered by it but still aware (probably used to it more now or have forgotten what sunny summers days are like...).

Thanks for pointing everyone who does get bothered by the noise in the direction of the consultation Splendid. Hopefully lots of people input to it so the Govt (who probably don't live under a flightpath therefore probably don't know that there is a problem) can see how many people in London are against increasing noise pollution in the name of "economic growth"

[Pearson]

^ but have you tried earplugs?

[Gimme]

Yeah.

Just what you want to have to wear to bed and in the garden.

Pearson Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ^ but have you tried earplugs?

[speedbird]

can't hear with these earplugs.... what did you say?? >:D

[Pearson]

@ Gimme

The problem is not going to go away overnight as i trust you accept.

If it genuinely bothers you, you have a couple of options as i see it.

Other than my previous suggestion, your next alternative is to move.

You do not seriously think that the wheels of government will change for this?

Look at the protests in town recently for something far more important to a far wider audience..

This is London my friend. Big cities are 24hr noisy places.

__________________

lol Speedbird!

[Sue]

:))

ETA: That was in response to Speedbird, btw

[SplendidLikePeckham]

interesting to see the range of responses so far - appreciate some people are totally unaffected - good for you?..

to clarify some points though?

"Splendid, if it weren't the aircraft waking you up it'd just be something else, bin-men, milkman, foxes shagging etc etc - you live in a big city after all?"

wrong I'm afraid - when the wind is blowing from the east and the early morning planes land over Reading, Windsor etc instead, bin-men, milkmen, foxes shagging etc etc don't wake me up. In fact I sleep vey well thanks. I can confirm it is indeed aircraft.

"The deafening silence of the close of airspace that volcanic ash brought upon us had the potential to bring the world economy to the ground. Consider the facts before a few hours undisturbed sleep"

Of course a ban on flying would bring the global economy to its knees. Nobody's suggesting that - just a limit to the number of aircraft landing before 6am., and most importantly not an increase?.The fact there is a limit now (16) is proof surely that even the Govt recognises the need for some kind of curb - otherwise this "global capital city" would allow landings and take offs 24 hours a day?? Do you think that would be a good idea?

and yes I do wear earplugs., and yes they do help a bit. But sometimes they fall out, and you can't hear kids calling out?.