Homes under north route cop the brunt of aircraft noise target fail

MORE planes leaving Sydney Airport mean more have to fly over the suburbs to the north. No Aircraft Noise secretary Patricia Thorne wants a change to noise-sharing targets.

Mascot resident Peter Stables at his home with Patricia Thorne, secretary of No Aircraft Noise. He is fed up with the increased aircraft traffic over his house and suburb. Picture: Danny Aarons

NO AIRCRAFT Noise secretary Patricia Thorne is backing a reassessment of Sydney Airport’s noise-sharing targets.

Sydney Airport has failed to meet the targets in its Long Term Operating Plan, with flights departing on the north route — or mode 9 — in breach every year since they were set 19 years ago.

“It is sometimes to do with the wind, but the most overwhelming thing is they have to pass so many flights through Sydney in the peak times,” Ms Thorne said.

“So they’re able to use noise-sharing modes less and less as time goes on because the number of flights is increasing; that’s just a fact.”

A record 39.7 million travellers passed through Sydney Airport last year and passenger numbers are expected to exceed 2 billion over the next 30 years.

Mascot resident Peter Stables says he has noticed a large increase in planes heading north over his home. Picture: Danny Aarons.

Under the LTOP target the suburbs north of Mascot should expect 17 per cent of aircraft movements, but Airservices Australia figures show the north route copped between 24 and 35 per cent in the six months to July 2016. These flights track over suburbs including Eastlakes and Coogee.

Mascot resident Peter Stables has noticed a “large increase in air traffic” heading north over his home.

He became so frustrated he wrote to ASA for answers.

“They replied that they are doing their best to comply, but because of prevailing winds and in peak times they have needed to use the parallel runways,” he said.

Transport Minister Darren Chester said he was happy to work with Kingsford Smith MP Matt Thistlethwaite on any plans he has to address the “complex issue.”

“In recent months a number of significant weather patterns and large storm cells have impacted on the ability to use noise sharing modes,” Mr Chester said.

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THE Long Term Operating Plan was established in 1996, aiming to operate as many flights as possible over water or non-residential land.

The plan also seeks to share the burden of aircraft noise, setting targets of 55 per cent of flight movements to the south over water, 17 per cent to the north, 15 per cent to the west and 13 per cent to the south.