Noise Nuisance Will Be Cut in Airport Expansion Plan

December 24, 2003

Noise Nuisance Will Be Cut in Airport Expansion Plan 
The Scotsman, UK


NOISE pollution and the number of low-flying planes passing over parts of the 
city will be cut by about a quarter under expansion plans for Edinburgh 
airport, according to government officials. 

The Transport Secretary and city MP Alistair Darling’s aviation white paper 
says that fewer people will suffer noise nuisance from the roar of aircraft 
engines - despite a massive predicted growth in the volume of traffic using the 
airport. 

Fewer flights will pass over built-up areas in the city, such as Cramond, when 
taking off and landing once the new runway is built, according to transport 
officials. 

The white paper proposes building a second runway around 2020. The airport’s 
capacity is set to reach a peak of 170,000 flights a year by around 2013 and 
will be considered "full" by 2016. A new runway in the capital could see 
passenger numbers quadruple from 5.5 million in 2000 to 23.9 million by 2030. 

Department for Transport officials believe that the building of a new runway 
and subsequent ditching of the current crosswind runway will reduce the number 
of people suffering high levels of noise pollution and cut the number of 
incoming flights passing over Cramond. 

It would also allow for greater development at Edinburgh Park, easing pressure 
on countryside further west. The white paper states: "By 2030, we would expect 
the new runway to help reduce the number of people within the 57dB [decibel] 
noise contour by around 1,000, compared with 4,500 today, and to allow a 
reduction in the number of night movements flying directly over Cramond." 

According to industry experts, 57dB is the level of noise which is deemed to 
trigger the onset of "significant community annoyance". 

It is proposed that the crosswind runway will be closed to all but taxiing 
aircraft once the new runway is opened. 

A spokeswoman for the DfT said a combination of the reduced flightpaths over 
built-up areas and the predicted creation of quieter aircraft engines would 
lead to less noise pollution. 

"The new runway will allow for distributing traffic to different patterns away 
from built-up areas, particularly around Cramond." 

Malcolm Robertson, the spokesman for BAA, said that it was too early to assess 
the full implications of the white paper for people living in the shadow of the 
airport. 

But he added: "The needs and concerns of local communities around the airport 
will be at the top of our minds. 

"We are currently going over a very technical and comprehensive document."  


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