Opinion split on flights 'increase' over Epsom

Last month, a number of residents contacted the Epsom Guardian and said they had recently experienced an increase in the number of airplanes overflying the town.  

They believed it may have been caused by new flight path testing by Heathrow - but the airport said that this is not the case but that arrival and departure routes do fly over Epsom.

Following the article, Roger Gurr, of Chadacre Road, Epsom, wrote into the newspaper and said noise from airplanes is particularly bad in the north of the borough.

"Noise from passenger aircraft is a problem if you are directly under the flight path," he said.

"This is because the noise is directed straight up, behind and down in a vertical fan shape.

"The flight path for passenger aircraft has changed, it seems, since the present government came to power and we are seeing more aircraft over our house.

But when the Epsom Guardian conducted a vox pops in the town centre, some said they had noticed an increase in aircraft flights but others insisted there was no increase and airplane noise is not a problem.

In an attempt to clear up the issue a Heathrow Airport spokeswoman said this week: "Epsom is in an area that has always been overflown as it is located near one of Heathrow’s holding stacks, which have been in the same place since the 1960s.

"The numbers of aircraft using Heathrow has remained fairly consistent over the last 10 years. 

"On average, there are 650 arrivals and 650 departures at Heathrow each day. 

"Minimising the impact of noise is a priority for Heathrow.  We are the forefront of efforts to tackle noise and as a result Heathrow's noise footprint continues to shrink.

"We incentivise airlines to send their quietest planes to Heathrow, by charging more for noisier planes and less for quieter, cleaner planes. As a result, the fleet at Heathrow is quieter than the global average."

Iona Napier went to Epsom town centre to see what people think about aircraft noise...

Lara Watkins, 21, fashion student, living in central Epsom:

"I have noticed the noise from my bedroom window, especially at night. If I have my bedroom window closed I can still hear the planes flying over, actually."

Sophie King, 22, fashion student, living in central Epsom:

"It has definitely picked up since last year, I really hope the planes flying overhead don’t increase anymore because we’ve got enough air pollution already."

Andrew Reed, 23, shop assistant, lived in Epsom for one year:

"I don’t think it’s a problem.  It wouldn’t worry me in the slightest if they increased the flight paths going over Epsom."

Bernie Hurford, 62, bus mechanic, lived in Epsom for 25 years:

"These days it is difficult to know whether the plane is coming or going - the new generation engines are so quiet now it should not be a problem. I have not been aware of it."

Stan Neill, 71, retired ex-BBC employee, lived in Epsom for 32 years: 

"I am not really bothered by it. You notice the planes but only when you’re really listening out for it as they are usually flying quite high.  The planes have got to fly over somewhere and if we want to use this service we must accept that they fly above our heads. I feel more for the people who live by the airports but they do choose to live there."

Ann Norman, 69, retired college lecturer, lived in Epsom for 40 years:

"I haven’t even noticed. There’s been no real difference in 40 years."

Joe Bates, 50, market trader, lived in Epsom for four years:

"It’s a problem. If you look at the sky on a clear day, there are white lines all over it because of all the planes. It is true there has been an increase in planes."

Marylin Davidson, 62, CEO of a property development company, lived in Epsom Downs for 10 years:

"We are not concerned. We have a big glass sky light at home so we see the planes pass over regularly but we do not hear them."

Hamid Mirza, 54, works in Epsom marketplace, lived in Ewell for 11 years:

"I cannot say I have heard any sound whatsoever from aeroplanes. As long as they do not fly too low, I am not worried, it is impossible to hear them."

James Warwick, 25, air conditioning engineer, lived in Epsom all his life:

"There has been an increase in planes. Especially if you are outside or listening out for them, there’s just too many of them."

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