Noise Disturbance at Night Near Heathrow and Gatwick AIrports

This paper presents the main results of a "check study" into noise disturbance at night near Heathrow and Gatwick.The check study [1) follows on Eran a major research programne into the relationship between aircraft noise and sleep disturbance [2] carried out in 1979.The objectives of the original research programne were: (a) to establish the nature and scale of sleep disturbance from all causes around Heathrow and Gatwick airports, ' (b) to assess the significance of aircraft noise in causing sleep disturbance, .-' (c) to investigate the relationship between exposure to aircraft noise and the degree of 51m disturbance.The results of the raearch program were used in the considerations of the Department of Tradethe relevant responsibilities are now Him the Departnent of Transportinto restrictions on night flights at Heathrow and Gatwick.