Environmental issues
One of the features of air travel is that while many of the benefits are spread across society as a whole, many of the adverse impacts are distributed unevenly. People living near airports have to live with the immediate effects of aircraft noise, air quality problems and increased congestion on local roads. Urbanisation sometimes associated with airport development can also have adverse impacts on landscape and habitats. Information in this section highlights the actions that can be taken to alleviate and control these adverse effects.
UK air passenger demand and carbon dioxide forecasts
A report setting out the Department's latest demand, CO2 forecasting, and appraisal methods. It also gives updated passenger demand and CO2 forecasts and updates our economic appraisal results.
Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England (ANASE) study
The purpose of the ANASE study was to produce an up-to-date analysis of the impacts of aircraft noise, building on previous research from 1985. The ANASE study is published alongside its technical appendices, comments from the independent peer reviewers and a statement from the Department's Chief Economist, which sets out the analytical conclusions that we have drawn from the report. The study has been produced for the Department by Mva Consultancy.
Aviation and emissions trading: benchmarking study
The Department for Transport and The Environment Agency commissioned Manchester Metropolitan University and CE Delft to research the economic, environmental and distributional impacts of various carbon allowance allocation methodologies on different airline models. It also looked at how the methodologies might incentivise behavioural change and reward early action.
Arrivals Code of Practice
Review of the current Arrivals Code of Practice and revised version of the code.
Aviation and the environment: Using economic instruments
Aviation and the environment: Using economic instruments.
Night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted
The underlying principle of the restrictions is to preserve a balance between the need to protect local communities from excessive aircraft noise at night and the operation of services where they provide economic benefits.
Noise exposure contours
Noise level contours in the areas around Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow
A project examining the prospects for the future development of Heathrow subject to strict conditions on air quality, noise and public transport access.
Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow - Report of the Air Quality Technical Panels
The report of the Air Quality Technical Panels focuses on providing guidance to the DfT on tools to assess air quality at Heathrow airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority (Air Navigation) Directions
The Civil Aviation Authority (Air Navigation) Directions 2001 (incorporating Variation Direction 2004).
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
- Last update:
- 30 January 2006
Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority on environmental objectives (376 kb)
Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority on environmental objectives relating to the exercise of its air navigation functions.
- Published:
- 16 March 2005
- Last update:
- 23 December 2005
Government Response to the Environmental Audit Committee's Report CM 6063 (493 kb)
Government response to the Environmental Audit Committee's report on Budget 2003 and Aviation.
- Published:
- 07 October 2004
- Last update:
- 23 December 2005
Guidelines for Airport Consultative Committees
New guidelines from 16th December 2003 for those involved in establishing, running and participating in airport consultative committees.
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
- Last update:
- 30 January 2006
Control of noise from civil aircraft - the government's conclusions (171 kb)
This document announces the government's conclusions on proposals to tackle operational aircraft noise from civil aircraft. The original consultation paper was issued in July 2000 with responses following in March 2002.
- Published:
- 22 September 2004
- Last update:
- 23 December 2005
Night Noise Quotas at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports
Review of the Quota Count (QC) System.
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
- Last update:
- 28 December 2005
Noise impacts of airport developments in the national consultation documents
Technical note presenting findings on noise impacts caused by airport developments.
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
Aircraft noise and sleep disturbance - summary of Government sponsored research
Study into the relationships between outdoor aircraft noise, sleep disturbance, and the variation of these with time of night.
- Published:
- 30 January 2006
Changes to the night time use of Heathrow runways (Announcement, 21 Dec 2000)
Announcement by Aviation Minister Chris Mullin - press release, including full text of Parliamentary Question and the Minister's answer.
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
Noise limits for aircraft departing from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports
Decision paper regarding noise limits at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports.
- Published:
- 28 December 2005
Noise from arriving aircraft - summary
Final report of the ANMAC Technical Working Group.
- Published:
- 23 December 2005
Study into noise mitigation measures at Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome
Departmental commissioned study published in 1996 regarding noise mitigation at Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome.
- Published:
- 28 December 2005
For related documents, pages and internet links, see the column on the right.
