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Following is a question by the Hon Chan Wai-yip and a reply by the Secretary for Economic Services, Ms Sandra Lee, in the Legislative Council today (December 6):
Question:
Regarding the disturbances caused by aircraft noise to residents in the early hours, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the respective average numbers of aircraft which took off and landed during the period between midnight and 7 am in each month since the opening of the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok;
(b) the new initiatives to alleviate the disturbances caused by aircraft noise to the residential areas under the flight paths, and how it will tackle the problem of aircraft noise in planning the new residential areas under the flight paths, including those at Ma Wan, in Area 40 of Tsuen Wan, and on the reclamation areas under the Tsuen Wan and Sham Tseng development plans, Tai Ho Wan and Yam O; and
(c) the highest aircraft noise levels recorded at various stationary noise monitoring terminals between midnight and 7 am during the past month, and whether there are measures in place to lower the aircraft noise to a level below 70 decibels?
Reply:
My reply to the three parts of the Hon Chan Wai-yip's question is as follows:
(a) Since the opening of the Hong Kong International Airport, the daily average numbers of aircraft which took off or landed between midnight and 7 a.m. for each month are set out in the Annex tabled before Members.
(b) Noise impact caused by aircraft take-off and landings is assessed on the basis of the internationally accepted "Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) Contour". The determination of the contour takes into account factors including the decibel levels of aircraft noise, the tonal characteristics as well as the duration and frequency of overflying flights at different times of the day. The standard currently adopted in Hong Kong is the NEF 25 contour, which is more stringent than the standards adopted by airports in some other places. According to data collected by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), apart from a few residential units in Sha Lo Wan, other residential areas in Hong Kong are outside the NEF 25 contour i.e. aircraft noise levels do not exceed the above mentioned standard. As for the affected residents of Sha Lo Wan, they have been provided with an ex gratia allowance for noise insulation installations.
While other residential areas are outside the NEF 25 contour, the Government is mindful of the concern of some residents. CAD has implemented a series of measures to reduce aircraft noise. These measures include:
(i) Subject to acceptable wind direction and speed as well as the condition that flight safety and air traffic operation will not be affected, the following two landing/take-off measures have been implemented since October 1998:
(1) aircraft arriving between midnight and 7 a.m. are arranged to land from the southwest as far as possible, in order to reduce the number of aircraft overflying areas such as Sha Tin, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan, and Sham Tseng at night; and
(2) aircraft taking off towards the northeast between 11 pm and 7 a.m. are arranged to use the southbound route via the West Lamma Channel as far as possible, in order to avoid overflying densely populated areas in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island.
Since implementation, over 90 per cent of the aircraft which took-off or landed during the periods mentioned above have adopted the above measures. This has effectively reduced the number of aircraft overflying residential areas at night.
(ii) Since August 1999, all aircraft taking off towards the northeast are required to follow the noise abatement take-off procedures prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, in order to reach a higher altitude within a shorter distance, thus minimising aircraft noise impact to areas near the airport.
(iii) With effect from October 1999, airlines are not allowed to schedule the take-off or landing of the more noisy types of aircraft between 11 pm and 7 am
(iv) With effect from August this year, aircraft approaching the airport from the northeast have to use the continuous descend approach procedures, in order to reduce aircraft noise in areas such as Sai Kung, Tseung Kwan O and Ma On Shan.
(v) Three more noise monitors were installed earlier this year, in order to record noise levels in different areas more effectively.
The Government will continue to monitor urban and airport development and consider the need to adopt any other measures to tackle the aircraft noise issue.
(c) The Environmental Protection Department and CAD have been closely monitoring aircraft noise levels in various areas under the flight paths. According to the aircraft noise levels recorded at the 15 fixed noise monitors in Hong Kong between mid-night and 7 a.m. in October this year, the highest noise level recorded at Sha Lo Wan, which is located within the NEF 25 contour, was 80.3 decibels. As for areas outside the NEF contour:
(i) at 8 of the monitors (namely Shau Kei Wan, North Point, Jardine Lookout, the Peak, Tai Wai, Kwan Chung, Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi), the highest level recorded was lower than 65 decibels or no over-flying was recorded;
(ii) at the monitors at Tai Nam and Ting Kau, the highest level recorded was below 70 decibels;
(iii) the monitor that has recorded a level between 70 and 75 decibels was at Tsing Lung Tau. The highest level recorded was 74 decibels. The number of take-off and landings in the whole month with a noise level between 70 and 74 decibels was 23, i.e. less than one flight per day; and
(iv) the monitors that have recorded a level of over 75 decibels were at Ma Wan, Yam O and Tung Chung. The highest level recorded was between 78.7 and 79.5 decibels. The number of take-off and landings in the whole month with a noise level between 75 decibels and the highest level recorded was 10 to 25, i.e. less than one flight per day.
As regards aircraft noise mitigation measures, as mentioned in my reply to part (b) of the question, CAD has implemented a series of measures to reduce noise impacts caused by aircraft during the small hours.
Annex
Hong Kong International Airport Numbers of Take-off and Landings between Midnight and 7 am.
Average No.
Per day (Flights)
1998 July (Start from 6th) 20.7
August 21.7
September 21.2
October 22.0
November 23.0
December 22.8
1999 January 21.6
February 22.8
March 21.5
April 24.4
May 20.5
June 21.6
July 24.6
August 30.3
September 27.2
October 27.4
November 31.6
December 29.1
2000 January 23.3
February 29.3
March 30.8
April 33.6
May 32.8
June 33.5
July 34.5
August 36.9
September 36.6
October 36.8
End/Wednesday, December 6, 2000
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