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WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994
GOVT SEEKS TO REDUCE AIRCRAFT NOISE DISTURBANCE
THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GORDON SIU, ASSURED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO PURSUE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR REDUCING NOISE DISTURBANCE TO RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR THE AIRPORT.
A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL MEASURES ARE BEING STUDIED TO REDUCE THE DISTURBANCE, HE REPLIED TO THE HON JAMES TO'S QUESTION TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ONE SUCH MEASURE IS TO REQUIRE AIRCRAFT OPERATORS TO ADOPT LANDING AND TAKE-OFF PROCEDURES THAT REDUCE NOISE, TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH PROCEDURES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT DETRIMENT TO AVIATION SAFETY.
MR SIU EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD LATER TODAY PASS THE CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH WOULD STRENGTHEN THE POWERS AVAILABLE TO THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION TO REDUCE AIRCRAFT NOISE.
ENACTMENT OF THE BILL WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR A REQUIREMENT THAT AIRCRAFT USING THE AIRPORT MUST MEET THE MORE STRINGENT NOISE CONTROLS ON AIRCRAFT NOISE LAID DOWN IN CHAPTER 3 OF ANNEX 16 TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION.
UNTIL OCTOBER LAST YEAR, AIRCRAFT WERE PROHIBITED FROM LANDING AND TAKING OFF OVER KOWLOON BETWEEN 6.30 AM AND 7 AM, AND BETWEEN 9 PM AND 11.30 PM UNLESS WIND, WEATHER OR OTHER OPERATING CONDITIONS MADE SUCH MOVEMENTS NECESSARY.
THIS MODE OF OPERATION HAD TO BE SUSPENDED IN OCTOBER 1993 IN THE INTERESTS OF AVIATION SAFETY, BUT THE PREVIOUS LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS PROGRAMMED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9 PM TO 11.30 PM HAS BEEN MAINTAINED.
IN ADDITION, MR SIU SAID, THE DIRECTOR HAS, WITH THE CO- OPERATION OF AIRLINES, BROUGHT FORWARD TO BEFORE 10.30 PM ALL BUT ONE OF THE LANDINGS OVER KOWLOON PREVIOUSLY PROGRAMMED TO ARRIVE AFTER THAT TIME.
"THE
COMING WINTER SCHEDULE WILL SEE ALL LANDINGS
FOR BEFORE 10.30 PM," HE SAID.
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