A Sustainable Air Quality Action Plan For Heathrow

Transcription

1 A Sustainable Air Quality Action Plan For Heathrow Rob Gibson Strategic Pollution Officer IAPSC 6th June 2001

2 This afternoon we will:- Consider the Current Air Quality Situation at Heathrow Consider Policy Context Look at options and in relation to sustainability and sustainable development

3 Heathrow Location

4 Heathrow Airport 459,703 flights in year 2000 Sunday 31 July 2000, 224,000 people 64 million passengers per annum year % Car 24% Taxi More sustainable modes 16 % Rail, 16% Bus 68,000 People employed at Heathrow airport

5 Pollution Sources Road Vehicles Aviation on the Ground Aviation in the Air Boiler plant Staff Vehicles Airside Vehicles

6 Predicted Annual Average Nitrogen Dioxide Level (1997)

7 Predicted Annual Average Nitrogen Dioxide Level (2005)

8 Monitored Annual Average Nitrogen Dioxide Level ppb Site Brentford Bloomsbury Cromwell Road Sutton Hillingdon HAL

9 Air Quality Management Areas

10 Air Quality Objectives NO 2 UK Objective (21ppb) must be achieved by end 2004 LA Responsibility - In Pursuit, GLA Responsibility - Achievement EU Objective (21ppb) must be achieved by 2010 UK Govt - Achievement

11 Context For Action Sustainable Development Aviation Policy Transport Policy Climate Change Programme Demand For Travel Planning System

12 Sustainable Development UK Government Criteria social progress which meets the needs of everyone; effective protection of the environment; prudent use of natural resources and maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.

13 Transport Policy New Deal for Transport July This means aviation should meet the external costs, including environmental costs, which it imposes. We must tackle the effect of civil aviation and airports on the environment page 76 para 3.191

14 Aviation Policy International (ICAO, Bilateral Agreements etc) European Union National White Paper Future of Aviation - Consultation SERAS / Regional Air Services Study Sub-regional (GLA)

15 Planning System Regional Planning Guidance Planning Policy Guidance GLA Spatial Development Strategy Climate Change Kyoto, UK CO 2 Reduction Targets

16 Demand for Air Travel Predicted doubling in the demand for air in the next 15 years in the United Kingdom

17 Stakeholders BAA / Airlines UK plc HA Transport Operators UK Government European Union GLA Local Authorities Community

18 Possible Actions - Local / Regional Improve modal split of travel to and from Heathrow (GLA Transport Stated Objective) Sustainable - Depends on cost of fare Effective - Not if People don t use it Capital Costs

19 Possible Actions - Local / Regional Traffic Restraint, Congestion Charging, Traffic Reduction, Road Pricing, Introduction of a Low Emission Zone etc Sustainable - yes Popular -? Effective - Determined within the London LEZ study

20 Possible Actions - Govt. Encourage Greater Use of Regional Airports Standstead, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Bournemouth etc. Considered by SERAS / RASCO Move to Rail Travel Eurotunnel / Regeneration of Kings Cross?

21 Possible Actions Introduce a tax on aviation fuel Breaks Chicago convention Unilateral Introduction, Aircraft refuel elsewhere ICAO Veto May get help from EU Demand inelastic to increase in price

22 Possible Actions - BAA Pay for transport improvement (PPP) Ban or restrain traffic on the perimeter roads Congestion charge LEZ Introduce differential landing charges i.e. charging more for the more polluting aircraft. Develop own AQ Strategy

23 Possible Actions - Airlines Introduction of technological improvements (modernise the fleet) Change operating practices Taxiing, APU use, Landing / Take off Procedures (cf noise)

24 Possible Actions - Govt. Movement Limit Enforceable? - Yes by DETR Sustainable - Dependent on Figure Set Less than 460,000 (current) Passenger Limit Enforceable? - Not easily

25 Use of the Planning System Revise UDPs, Consider SDS Restrict New Off Airport Parking Control Development on the Site No - Heathrow s General Development Order Oppose Major Expansion

26 Air Quality at Terminal 5 Proposal to Expand Heathrow by 30 million passengers per annum Governments air quality objectives (nitrogen dioxide) will be exceeded in both a 4T and 5T scenario in the year 2016

27 Observer 3rd December 2000

28 Guardian 19th April 2001

29 Guardian 5th Jan 2001

30 Air Quality Objectives NO 2 UK Objective (21ppb) must be achieved by end 2004 LA Responsibility - In Pursuit, GLA Responsibility - Achievement EU Objective (21ppb) must be achieved by 2010 UK Govt - Achievement

31 Where Do We Go From Here? Continue to Build \ Establish Partnerships Internal, X Borough, Clusters, WGs, GLA, ALG, External BAA, BA, HA, GLA, DETR, EU. Refine and work up the options Use Available Fora to Lobby Investigate the European Union Process

32 Conclusions Air Quality At Heathrow Is Poor And will remain so therefore, Heathrow Airport is operating above its environmental capacity. Heathrow will not contract in response to this Future mitigation must be commensurate with the environmental damage

33 Conclusions In action planning partnerships are key All sectors of society must contribute to the future well being and where it is necessary pay the environmental cost. All parties cannot duck the issue or give up

34 Conclusions IF YOUR LOCAL AIRPORT GROWS TO THE SIZE OF HEATHROW YOU WILL HAVE AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS.

35 A Sustainable Air Quality Action Plan For Heathrow IAPCS 6th June 2001