What have you done since March 2020 to protect Londoners from Heathrow’s air and noise pollution?

I am all too aware of the evidence for the erosion in public health and quality of life that can result from aviation activity. In line with air travel worldwide, flights to and from Heathrow Airport have dropped substantially over the last year, as much as 90% below typical traffic levels. This has meant significantly fewer flights, with the airport moving to a single runway operation for several months.

While this has presented serious challenges for the aviation sector and the jobs that depend on it, the reduction in flights has resulted in a welcome dip in noise and air pollution, which has come as a relief for long-suffering communities. This respite may be temporary, but Londoners deserve a permanent solution going forward.

Despite my lack of powers in this area, I have been clear that as aviation demand starts to return, I want to work with the sector to ensure that it can contribute to a green recovery for London and the whole country. This means putting a much greater focus on the sector’s environmental impacts and I want the industry to take immediate steps in this area. My officers met earlier this year with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Heathrow Airport’s regulator, to press for environmental factors to be treated as a primary consideration in the regulatory framework. I also raised this in a recent meeting with Heathrow Airport Ltd.

In March [2021], a reply was submitted on my behalf to the Government consultation on the latest night flights regime to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. I am clear that this is a unique opportunity to implement a more environmentally ambitious framework that seeks to drive tech innovation whilst delivering a meaningful and sustained improvement in unacceptable noise levels experienced by local communities.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. To be clear, will you push for a ban on night flights?

We have responded to the consultation. We are keen to continue to make progress. In relation to night flights, you will be aware that at certain times of the night they do not fly. I am unclear on the question.

Flights start at 4.30am and they are still flying up until midnight.

What is the question? Do you want to finish?

Let me read you what a Fulham resident said to me last night.

Sure.

“A plane has just landed overhead at 10.10pm. It restarts at 4.30am, a six-hour window of peace.” Yet, as you say, air traffic is down by 87%. Between those hours, will you basically ban night flights from 10.10pm to 4.30am?

I follow, Chair. We will lobby for the hours to be expanded. I am more than happy to speak to the Member.  We have done some work on this. I do not have the latest responses on that time but I am more than happy, as somebody who is affected by this, to work with him because it is an issue. The hours are there. Your ask is to extend the night-time hours. Chair, can I work with the Member on this? This is a good example that, actually, we are on the same team here. Can I look into that and work with you offline?

Thank you, Mr Mayor. What do you think of Heathrow’s opaque plans to so-called double stack aircraft - have aircraft flying over each other - particularly at night?

We agree that we want there to be certain hours where there are not any flights altogether. What is important when we refer to environmental impacts is we have to be a bit careful that the double stacking does not lead to additional challenges with the environment on top of the noise that concerns your constituents. We have issues with that.

The response we have done, Chair, is available on the website, but I will send it separately to the Member so that he is aware of what we said.

Finally, do you think Heathrow has been very clear with Londoners on exactly what it is proposing? I have looked into this in detail and it is really complicated. Heathrow has not communicated it very clearly to Londoners.

I will pass that on to the Chief Executive, who is really keen to rebuild relations with Londoners. He is really keen to learn the lessons from the past.

To be fair to Heathrow, the aviation sector is in a huge flux and some of the estimates we see are that it may not be until 2024 at the earliest when they return to pre-pandemic levels. That, to me, of course is a big challenge because of the jobs, but it is an opportunity to make meaningful change for your constituents and also others across our city, and the environment as well.

I will pass on your comments. The new Chief Executive does get the criticism that many of us have about the way they have consulted and the broken promises and he is keen to make improvements on that.

Thank you, Mr Mayor.