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The Local Scene
Most of the work of consultative committees is concerned
with largely local matters relating to the Airport and the wider area
in which it operates. The nature of this local work will vary from
airport to airport but typically it might include:
- noise and noise related questions such as noise preferential
routes, track-keeping, noise monitoring, noise insulation, night
flights etc
- other environmental issues including local air quality, emissions,
odours, etc.
- airport and airport related developments
- monitoring agreements under s. 106 of the Town and Country Planning
Act 1990
-
familiarising the members with the work of
the airport and it contractors and concessionaires, the airlines,
the regulatory agencies etc.
- passenger services and facilities including the monitoring of
the Voluntary Commitments on Air Passenger Service - see our Euro
Roundup page
-
surface access, improving public transport
for staff and passengers, new transport infrastructure
- runway utilisation
- airspace changes
-
ensuring there are effective complaints procedures
and reviewing the complaints received.
- securing and developing the Airport’s relationships with
its local communities
- community initiatives
-
local publicity for the work of the committee
and the issues with which it deals.
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 Price Controls - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester
The Consultative Committees at some airports are also interested in price controls. This flows from the Airports Act 1986 which requires the CAA to set maximum limits on airport charges at airports designated for this purpose by the Secretary of State. These airports are Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, all ownder by BAA, and Manchester airport.
The present controls were set in February 2003 and covered the five-year period between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2008. In 2006/07, the price caps are £8.51 per passenger at Heathrow, £4.73 at Gatwick and £5.83 at Stansted. For Heathrow, the maximum increase per annum is set at RPI plus 6.5 per cent; and for Gatwick and Stansted at RPI.
The review leading to new price controls from April 2008 is already under way. In December 2006 the CAA published, for consultation, its initial regulatory proposals for the three BAA airports at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. They propose:
- a continuation of the current price cap framework for Heathrow and Gatwick; and
- for Stansted, a recommendation to Government that it consider removing the requirement on the CAA to set price controls.
In relation to Manchester Airport the CAA is planning to issue a policy consultation in late January 2007. This will take that opportunity to consider whether there remains a need to regulate prices at Manchester Airport.
The timetable for the remainder of the review is:
5 February 2007 - Consultation closes on CAA's initial price control proposals
End March 2007 - CAA makes price control reference to Competition Commission
September 2007 - Competition Commission reports to CAA on price control reference
November 2007 - CAA publishes firm proposals for the 5th Quinquennium (“Q5”)
January 2008 - Consultation closes, oral hearings
March 2008 - CAA announces price cap decision for Q5
April 2008 - 5 starts 1 April
More Information: [CAA December 2006 Press Release][December 200 Consultation Document]
Top of Page  Wider
Issues
Consultative Committees are also interested in national
and international proposals affecting airports and the wider aviation
industry. These can and do have an impact locally and committees
will very often want to contribute to the proposals in their
formative stage. On our Wider UK
Issues page, and on our Euro
Roundup page, we have listed some of the many UK National
and European issues now in various stages of consultation and discussion.
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