Tides and Planes
A reminder that Chiswick Mall, whilst protected by the Thames barrier to the East and Richmond Lock to the West, floods at particularly high tides and it can become impossible either to walk or to drive along its full length. Cars parked at certain points are liable to be inundated.
Details of the times and heights of tides for today can be found at
Chiswick Mall tides today
Further information, including Tide Tables, can be found by searching the menus at Thames Tides.
Flooding
General information on flooding can be found on the Environment Agency website and it is possible to register for their free full flood alert warnings via this link Flood Warnings Direct.
It is also possible to see a graphical representation of the tide levels at Richmond Lock by following PLA Richmond.
Heathrow Operations
Sound is also part of the 'spirit of place' of the conservation area. We therefore keep a watching brief on activities at Heathrow to help mitigate the intrusion of aircraft noise both for residents and for visitors. At the moment, thanks to 'runway alternation', generally there is little or no aircraft noise for half of each day. As it can be very confusing for newcomers to understand when Old Chiswick might be free from this intrusive noise, in 2012 OCPS drafted, and has since updated Heathrow operations
Since 2012, details have changed but Heathrow have a vastly improved website for information about their operations. This can be found on the Heathrow Noise website.
For the current Runway Alternation Programme, please click here.
We had commented extensively on the latest Heathrow Consultation, 'Airspace and Future Operations', and have attached some supporting documents here. Consultation 2019.docx is our analysis of how the Conservation Area would be affected, given the information from the Consultation papers.
In addition, we attach some of the Consultation papers below
Heathrow Airport Ltd Consultation-Booklet-Update-1-AW-LR-pages.pdf
September 2024 Update
Gov.uk have announced a consultation on the next night flight regime for 2025 onwards. The government sets night flight restrictions for three airports designated as having a noise problem.
The consultation ends 22 May 2024. The relevant question for us is Question 1
'To what extent do you agree or disagree with proposals for the next night regime for Heathrow?'
OCPS response is-
'We welcome the night-time abatement noise objective with the following provisos- lack of definition of the terms 'quality of life' and 'sustainable growth' (to include a non-noise-based environmental component) should be addressed.
We recognise the pragmatic approach to maintaining current measurements pending further discussion and studies. However, as it stands, the status quo can disincentivise the early implementation of technological advances as they become available, such as new, quieter localised flightpath protocols and regimes, and new soundproofing with natural ventilation technology,(important because the Heathrow footprint covers a large proportion of older housing).'
Background.
The purpose of the consultation is to
1. Confirm the proposal wording below for the night flight regime 2025, based on last year's consultation on the wording of the 'night time abatement objective' for the three UK south-east airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted).
NB. Last year's consultation was mostly responded to by affected Local Authorities, environmental groups and industry.
' To limit and where possible reduce the adverse effects of aviation noise at night on health and quality of life, whilst supporting sustainable growth and recognising the importance to the UK of commercial passenger and freight flights.
and 2. Set parameters to measure the limits and effects, the latter which currently includes one of dBLA contours that exceed 48dB between the hours of 23.30 and 0600. This is designed to track the numbers of people in an area affected by noise.
Limits are measured by number of aircraft movements in the 6.5 HR night period, set for winter and summer season, together with QC, a quota count weighted by aircraft type noise certification at take off and landing, overlaid on the number of movements. If airport movements (landings and takeoffs) are less than the total movement limit, the QC allows for more movements of quieter aircraft.
The consultation proposes no change for Heathrow movement limits, quota count measurements or dB contour limits.
There is a recognition however that a) several health and wellbeing studies to ascertain the affects of navigation noise, including at night, are due to be published in the next 3 years, including the ANNE study (UK government), and WHO guidance for estimating burden of disease from environmental noise,
b) some self-evidently effective additional measurements such as average noise of an aircraft over a season, or 'number above' i.e. a number of aircraft exceeding say 60dB per movement contour, are currently unable to be routinely gathered, but might be possible in the future
and c) sustainable growth measures are not yet agreed or in use.
December 2024 Update
You may have heard in the news about Heathrow's plans to reinstate use of the northern runway during easterly operations, enabled by the government decision to end the Cranford Agreement.
-The Cranford Agreement
This agreement was made verbally between the village (as it was at the time) of Cranford and the government in the 50s, which protected them from the noise of aircraft taking off towards the east (known as easterly operations). In those days and subsequently, for many years, aircraft taking off were especially loud.
The agreement in effect did not permit the usual runway alternation, which allows a switch between use of the northern and southern runways for take-offs and landings at 15.00 daily in order to provide noise 'respite' for communities close to the airport.
Since the agreement all routine easterly operations take-offs have used the southern runway.
Whilst the agreement formally ended in 2008, the ability to use the northern runway regularly in alternating between landings and take-offs was not taken up partly because of works required to the runway and taxying areas.
-Heathrow's plans to recommence northern runway alternation for easterly operations
Heathrow has applied for Planning permission to Hillingdon Council for works to the northern runway designed to facilitate its more frequent use for take-offs to the east during those days when easterly operations are in place.
As a reminder, the prevailing weather patterns mean that westerly operations are in effect for approximately 70% of the time, so changes to the use of the northern runway during easterly operations will be evident for 30% of the time.
How the changes will affect us-
Our area is mostly affected by aircraft landing from the east (westerly operations 70% of the time).. We hear aircraft approaching the northern runway, and to a lesser extent the southern runway.
During easterly operations aircraft land from the west and take off towards the east, following Noise Prevention Route 'corridors' (NPRs) up to 4000 ft before being further directed by area air traffic control. These corridors are roughly torus-shaped from above and below the runways bending towards the south-east and north east, the north east corridors currently not being routinely used. (see attached diagram).
Reinstating the use of runway alternation for easterly operations will reinstate the rarely-used take-off corridors to the north-east, affecting mainly Cranford, Hounslow East, Heston, Isleworth, and parts of Ealing, Acton and Greenford. Our area does not lie within, although we may hear some residual overflying noise from those aircraft repositioning out of the NPRs above 4000ft along their individual paths.
[Caveats are as follows - airport operations do not slavishly follow either runway alternation or the prevailing wind. It is permitted to vary flight paths for operational reasons, for instance. It is also permitted under exceptional circumstances for simultaneous take-offs or landings on parallel runways, or using the same runway for both take-offs and landings.
Also the CAA needs to re-approve use of the Standard Instrument and NPRs (SIDs).]