Impact on Richmond

Noise all day: There will be aircraft noise during mornings, afternoons and evenings, from 7:00 in the morning to 11:30 at night.

Currently, we experience aircraft landing noise for around 35% of the time in this period. Instead we shall have aircraft landing noise for 70% of the time, and takeoff noise for the remaining 30%. There will be no respite from aircraft noise.

More noise in the early mornings: With the number of flights increasing by almost 50% over the next 20 years there will be more early morning arrivals between 6:00 am and 7:00 am. It will become increasingly difficult to operate any kind of runway alternation in this period and Richmond's current periods of respite will diminish and could disappear.

Pressure for more night flights: Much of the 50% increase will consist of arrivals from the new economies in the Far East. This will lead to pressure for more night flights between 11:30 pm and 6:00 am and with them, more disturbed sleep.

More traffic congestion and pollution: It will also add to traffic congestion in West London as more people struggle to get to Heathrow for travel or to work there. There will be more traffic jams and more toxic NO2 fumes. In places, Richmond's levels of NO2 are already over EC guidelines.

If NO2 proves unmanageable in the Heathrow area then one option is to introduce road pricing for the M4 or nearby routes. This could divert even more traffic through Richmond.

Aircraft Noise all day, every day

With Mixed Mode, our half day's respite from Landing Noise would go

Currently during the 70% of time aircraft land towards the west, they alternate use of Heathrow's two runways so providing Richmond with half a day's respite from noise in the morning or afternoon.

Schematic of Planes landing in segregated mode showing half a day's respite

With mixed mode from 2010, both runways would be used for takeoffs and landings all day. Noise from aircraft landing over Richmond would become continuous.

Schematic of Planes landing in segregated mode showing half a day's respite

For the first time, Richmond would suffer Takeoff Noise

Current Operations:
Runway Alternation

Currently aircraft taking off from Heathrow pass well to the south or north of Richmond. Richmond suffers minimal noise from planes taking off - the main disturbance is from those landing.

 Easterly takeoff swathe for Southern runway in 2002 operating in segregated mode with runway alternation - there are no easterly takeoffs from the Northern runway due to the Cranford Agreement

2010 - 2020:
Mixed Mode

From 2010 with mixed mode, planes would fly over Richmond during the 30% of time they take off towards the east.

Easterly takeoff swathes for both runways in 2015 operating in mixed mode

Beyond 2020:
Third Runway

Even with a third runway from 2020 and the restoration of runway alternation, planes would still have to take off over Richmond, whether taking off from the Southern runway ...

 Easterly takeoff swathe for Southern runway in 2030 operating in segregated mode with runway alternation

... or the Northern runway.

 Easterly takeoff swathe for Northern runway in 2030 operating in segregated mode with runway alternation

 

Traffic Congestion would rise

The number of road journeys to Heathrow each year would almost double, increasing congestion and road pollution in all of West London.

In parts of Richmond, pollution levels already exceed EC guidelines. This could only make the situation worse.

 Passengers travelling by Road to Heathrow now, in 2010, 2015 and 2030

One option under consideration is congestion charging for heavy goods vehicles on the roads around Heathrow, including the M4. They would have to pay the charge, or divert to take a longer route which could very well pass through Kew and Richmond.