Representatives from BAA will answer questions about flight pattern trials

A public meeting will take place later this month where borough residents can question airport operator BAA about the flight pattern trial now taking place at Heathrow.

The event takes place at 7.30pm, Wednesday 23 November, at the Brewer Building, Putney High Street.

Wandsworth Council has set up the meeting amid concerns that many local people were not informed about the trial in advance and that local authorities were not involved in the planning process.

The ‘operational freedoms’ trial began on November 2 and continues until February 29. During this period the airport is permitted to land more planes during established respite periods when residents normally get relief from overhead flights.

A second trial will take place next summer from July 1 to September 30.

BAA says the aim is to explore ways of running the airport more effectively and to reduce flight delays.

Leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govindia said:
"Many residents have unanswered questions and this meeting will give them the chance to put their concerns to BAA. Respite periods are extremely valuable to communities living under the flightpath and any experiments must be clearly explained and transparent.”

Local residents are being urged to report increases in noise pollution during the trial directly to the council.

To make a report call the council's noise hotline on 020 8871 5377.

You can also tweet your report @wandbc, post it on the council's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wandsworthcouncil or email it to eryans@wandsworth.gov.uk Please ensure your message includes the time you were disturbed and your location.

Under normal circumstance Heathrow is only permitted to use one runway for take offs and one for landings. Their use is switched everyday at 3pm to give residents under the flightpath a regular break from aircraft noise.

The current runway alternation programme and respite period timetable is available on the Heathrow website.

During the trial BAA will be able to use both runways at the same time for arrivals during busy periods when flights are delayed. This will mean a limited number of flights being allowed to land or take off during the current half-day respite periods. BAA will have discretion over when it can initiate these special measures.

The testing periods were approved by the South East Airports Taskforce Group which was set up by the Government to explore ways of making airports 'better, not bigger'.

There will be no increase in the overall number of movements at the airport during the trial period. The trials will be undertaken by BAA under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Copies of the Department for Transport's report on the operational freedoms trial are available at www.dft.gov.uk

November 10, 2011