Cutting noise nuisance is key objective

Date: 14/12/00

airport operators are striving to cut noise levels in response to complaints from people living on their doorstep.

While some facilities are cutting down on road-related noise by expanding their rail access, others are introducing strict new limits for aircraft.

Among recent developments, the Swedish government ordered new take-off and landing corridors in October to limit noise at Stockholm, while Basel's EuroAirport banned the noisiest aircraft from flying between 10pm and 6am.

MEPs on the European Parliament's environment committee are calling for new noise limits beginning in 2006. In a report adopted earlier this month, they criticised a European Com-mission proposal which would introduce uniform noise-level measurement and monitoring but would not set any actual limits.

Negotiators from around the world will try to thrash out new global airport noise standards at a meeting in January in Montreal.

The talks come as the EU remains locked in a legal battle with the US over the Union's ban on aircraft fitted with special engine mufflers, or 'hush kits'.

Industry group Airports Council International plans to call on negotiators to set strict noise-reduction limits. Officials argue that this is essential, given the continued surge in air traffic growth.