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Birmingham Airport anti-Noise Group

Newsletter # 2
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May 2002

THE BIG BANG!

Birmingham Airport anti-Noise Group (BANG!) was officially launched at the Easter weekend!

A committee has now been formed consisting of the following members:

Chair: Ron Dowdeswell
Deputy Chair/Press Officer: Albert Yeomans
Treasurer: Hertta Hussein
Secretary/Newsletter Editor: James Botham
Committee Members: Pat Yeomans, Brett Rehling, John De'Athe, John Ryan, Ray Woodford, Alan Whitlock, Malcolm Wilding

New members are always welcome. Contact us if you want to get more involved.

The first role for the new Committee was to decide the aims of the group, set up a constitution and think of a name. It was agreed that the aims of the group should be broader than just campaigning against noise, and that they should include all of the following: Noise Night flights Pollution Health.* The wider issues surrounding the aviation industry (e.g. cheap flights, safety, aviation fuel tax etc.).

Having agreed the aims of the group, approved the constitution and the new name, B.A.N.G!, it was time to officially launch the group. We arranged this for Easter Weekend to coincide with the start of the holiday season and the increase in the number of flights that means. The press were very interested indeed - the Birmingham Post (30/03/02) covered the launch in some detail, as did the Hodge Hill Gazette (March issue), the Birmingham News (18/04/02), the Solihull News (12/04/02), Solihull Times (05/04/02), BBC Ceefax and the Birmingham Express And Star (03/04/02). Albert Yeomans gave radio interviews to Saga 105.7fm, Heart FM, Radio XL and BRMB, while BBC Radio WM Coventry and Warwickshire and BBC Radion WM Birmingham interviewed Ron Dowdeswell (30/03/02) (see Radio Ron below).

* For anyone interested in learning more about the health implications of living near an airport, see Zoe Hunt's report 'Environmental and Health Impacts Induced by Airport Operations'.

Volunteers Wanted!

Firstly, many thanks to everybody who helped with leaflet distribution for the Lea Hall public meeting last November.

A new leafleting spree in May/June is planned and we need volunteers so if you feel up to distributing a few leaflets in your immediate area, don't hesitate to call us. If we are to be taken seriously then it is important that we represent significant numbers of residents. We already have over a hundred supporters but think a membership in the thousands is not unrealistic.

Government will appeal over Heathrow Night Flights decision

Earlier this year, the Government was granted the right to appeal against the European Court of Human Rights ruling on night flights at Heathrow.

The Appeal is not expected to be heard until the end of this year - maybe later. This means that the decision could be too late for summer/autumn 2003 when the next five year agreement between the Government and the airlines is due to come into effect.

The Heathrow residents group Heathrow Airport Campaign Against Noise (HACAN) put out a press release stating that although the decision was disappointing, they (and their lawyers) are confident of ultimate success. Media coverage was good with appearances on the regional TV news programs (the BBC led its lunchtime regional news with the story, with Chair of HACAN John Stewart live in the studio), a fair number of radio interviews and quotes in a number of national dailies. We'll keep you posted on any further developments.

Airport Noise - What Council Election Candidates Say

Council elections will be upon us on May 2nd and it is vital that everyone gets out to vote, especially as some are predicting a record low turnout this year.

Coinciding with the election, BANG! has been asking the prospective candidates for South-East Birmingham and Solihull just where they stand with regard to the issue of airport noise. So far, the candidates who have stated that they support the aims of BANG! are:

Sheila Brookes (Labour & Co-op, Elmdon)
Azad Choudury (Conservative, Sheldon)
Graham Juniper (Conservative, Kingshurst)
John Knight (Lib Dem, Castle Bromwich)
Conan Norton (Lib Dem, Hodge Hill)
Jim Moore (Labour, Castle Bromwich)
Alan Clawley (Green Party, Small Heath)
Nigel Dyer (Lib Dem, Knowle)
Anita Ward (Labour, Hodge Hill)
Peter Whitlock (Lib Dem, Meriden)
Jim Ryan (Labour, Bickenhill)

Below are some of the responses we have received to date (24/04/02). . .

"I have over a number of years supported residents of Hodge Hill in their campaigns against aircraft noise. I have held public meetings on the matter." Anita Ward

"I fully support the need to ban night flying into or out of the Airport together with pressing for quieter aircraft being the only ones being acceptable at any time of day. Good luck with your campaign." John Knight

"Yes, I do support this matter as I have been fighting this for many years but very little has been done. I feel that after what happened in London we can change things for the better in Birmingham." Conan Norton

"I fully support the Group's aims as I would endeavour to improve the quality of life of residents by any means available." Jim Moore

"The Green Party would also put tax on aircraft fuel. I do not support further expansion of the airport." Alan Clawley

"People of areas around airports have the right to protect themselves and their properties from air traffic hazards of every day life." Azad Choudury

"I am fully in support of attempts to reduce excessive noise and air pollution. As an asthma sufferer I have a personal interest in this." Peter Griffith (Labour, Sheldon)

"I support your campaign for a neighbourhood free of excessive noise and pollution. I would like to see and end to night flights and I believe we should work with Birmingham International Airport to achieve these aims." Sheila Brookes

"I believe that the number of night flights should be reduced. There is a danger that quieter planes will be used as an excuse to demand more flights claiming that noise level has not increased. Pollution levels are not measured fully and need strict controls along with control of times of engine testing and warming up - the present time is too early in the morning." John Windmill (Lib Dem, Olton)

Airline Tax proposed

Dutch consultants CE Delft have recommended in a report to the European Commission that a new environmental charge be introduced to reduce harmful airline emissions.

The proposal, which could see extra charges of up to £50 added to air fares in the next two years, has been condemned (as you would expect) by John Bayford, general manager of British European Airways.

Aircraft noise limit proposed . . . at 92 decibels!!

Plans are afoot to introduce a new aircraft noise limit of 92 decibels between 6am and 11pm. This limit would be the first of its kind in the Midlands - Manchester Airport and the London Airports already have noise limits of 92 and 94 decibels respectively.

Whilst we welcome the idea of a set daytime noise limit in principle, BANG! believes that 92 decibels is too high and an insult to people living near the airport and under the flight path who daily experience intolerable levels of noise from planes.

In its report "Guidelines for Community Noise" the World Health Organisation (WHO) concludes that noise levels in excess of 70 decibels make normal communication impossible, so a daytime limit of 92 decibels would be utterly useless. Equally ineffectual is Birmingham Airport's current policy of fining night flying aircraft that exceed 87 decibels, when the same WHO report states that noise levels in excess of 55 decibels prevent undisturbed sleep.

TAKE ACTION:
Write to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (you can use the enclosed standard letter or write in your own words if you prefer) asking them to set stricter limits on day and night time aircraft noise that comply with WHO guidelines. The proposal will go before the Council on 3rd September 2002 so there is time to get lots of responses in.

Lower rates for Airport Residents . . ?

We think that residents near the Airport and under the flight path are entitled to a reduction in Council tax rates.

Similar reductions have been awarded to people living close to factories and other sources of noise. We want to know your opinions on this issue. Are you disturbed by aircraft noise and think you are entitled to reduced rates as a result?

Radio Ron

Below is an edited transcript of a debate on BBC Radio WM Birmingham between the then Secretary of BANG! Ron Dowdeswell (RD) and Managing Director of Birmingham Airport Brian Summers (BS) on April 30th 2002.

HOST Now, noise caused by airports isn't exactly new, neither are residents who are angry because of it. There's a group of people in the Hodge Hill and Castle Bromwich areas of Birmingham who claim that years and years of exposure to airport noise has damaged their hearing. They say the noise is a lot more than a mere inconvenience but despite voicing there opinions to the Airport Management, MPs and local councillors, nothing has been done to reduce it. Shortly we'll be hearing from the Managing Director of Birmingham International Airport, Brian Summers, but first Ron Dowdeswell is the Secretary of the group protesting about this noise and I understand he's joining us on line now. Good Morning to you, Ron.

RD Good Morning.

HOST Now, I understand you're hard of hearing?

RD I unfortunately am, yes.

HOST And you're blaming that on airport noise?

RD Well, let's put the facts together. I've never worked in a noisy environment and I'm a little bit too old to have gone to discos, and there's no other noise that could have caused any hearing damage other than my thirty-odd years sitting under the flight path of Runway 33 of Birmingham Airport.

HOST But if that was so wouldn't everyone who worked at the airport be suffering similar problems as those that you're encountering?

RD Well, it's very long term. I mean I'm no longer a young man and years ago I might have thought that, but I think we are sitting on a bit of a time bomb here. Birmingham unfortunately has an airport which is, if you like, a geographical accident. It's been there for quite a long time and it just so happens the flight path of Runway 33 runs over areas like Kitts Green, Tile Cross, Marston Green and Hodge Hill. And it's a continual noise problem that causes the concern about health. It's not short term at all. I mean, there are lots of people who, I'm sure, now say "well OK, I don't like it, it's inconvenient but we're stuck with it". But as time goes on I think you may find more people like me who can't hear birds singing, who can't hear their mobile telephones ringing and all because of this unfortunate situation. It's rather like smoking. I mean, before the War everyone thought smoking didn't hurt you.

HOST Well, let's hear from Brian Summers, the MD of Birmingham International Airport. Good Morning, Mr Summers.

BS Good Morning.

HOST What is your response?

BS Our business is all about balance. We are an airport of significance for the region - we have to find the right balance and we take the environmental and other impacts of the Airport very seriously. And this group that has been talked of, like many others, you know, dialogue goes on with all sort of people. On the health front, there have been many studies over the years, people have raised issues about health and we've had specific requirements placed on us by local authorities for instance, to look at the issue of respiratory health. Clear independent evidence has demonstrated that there is no link between those issues and the normal community impacts that come in a community such as those around the airport.

HOST But this is a relatively new issue in my experience, isn't it Brian? We've now got people complaining about their hearing being damaged by the noise.

BS I'm not a health expert, obviously. But the indication of health concerns about hearing are very specific and very, very high levelled. And as we know from any industry, many industries produce noise and it's those areas where the noise is intense and continuous that people get into issues on hearing. It is a relatively new issue raised with us - and I accept that. It is one that clearly we will consider and discuss with people if they want to discuss it with us. We always consult on issues of any serious nature that people have and that stands for this group as with any other.

HOST So have you as yet met with the group that Ron is representing on the program this morning?

BS I have not met his group. Some of my colleagues were at the meeting at which this group, I think, originated from a few months ago and actually spoke at that meeting so we've had contact and I've no doubt that we will have further contact. We already consult with a wide range of local groups through a formal process and an informal process.

HOST So you will be meeting Ron face to face will you?

BS Well, I'm quite prepared to meet Ron face to face as I have done with many other people from the community.

HOST Right. Is that interesting and encouraging to you, Ron?

RD Well, it certainly is. We as a group, BANG, do welcome Brian's approach. We will have to see what transpires, won't we? Again, with the greatest respect to Brian, words are very easy - actions are perhaps a little bit more difficult. And as regards to respiratory problems, which Brian refers to, yes, I'm sure it is all part of the big picture but please - we don't say that just because we have road traffic pollution and other pollution, aircraft pollution is irrelevant. Aircraft pollution is making the problem much worse. There are children now growing up in these parts of Birmingham who are perhaps 10-15 years of age and this is, in my opinion a time bomb, a health time bomb.

HOST Ok. Ron, we've heard all you have to say. Thank you, Brian for responding and we'll look forward to the outcome of this meeting in the fullness of time.

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