The news comes as H&F residents, who have been facing excessive noise for years, are being invited to a public hearing on this issue on November 6.
Heathrow Airport have received so many complaints about noise pollution from disgruntled residents that they have given up responding to individual complaints.
A Hammersmith & Fulham resident received the following response from Theresa Gruber, Community Communications Manager at Heathrow, after complaining about increased aircraft noise:
‘Thank you for your email and I hope this finds you well. Unfortunately due to the high volume of complaints we are receiving at the moment, we are currently unable to provide detailed individual responses. We aspire to providing individual responses in future.”
The news comes as H&F residents, who have been facing excessive noise for years, are being invited to a public hearing on this issue on November 6.
Senior executives from Heathrow’s owners BAA will attend H&F Council’s Transport Select Committee to answer questions about the controversial operational freedoms trial.
This scheme allows both of Heathrow’s runways to be used simultaneously and as a result vastly increases the noise for many Londoners.
“Since just before the end of July the incoming airplane noise has been horrendous,” said Fulham resident Carolyn Smyth.
“I have never experienced flight noise to this extent and it is unbearable on both sides of my house.”
Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, H&F Cabinet Member for Transport & Technical Services, added: “Residents’ complaints over aircraft noise have overwhelmed Heathrow’s complaints department to the point where they can no longer function properly.”
At the meeting on November 6, two BAA executives will give a presentation on the operational freedoms trial before holding a Q&A session with councillors and residents.
Heathrow is the world’s third busiest airport and many wish to see a third runway added to the site.
Only last month Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps admitted the idea of a third runway was back on the table.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson is opposed to the plan and has vowed to fight his party over the issue.
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