In 2007 we carried out work to assess the current levels of APU usage on the airfield and to find a useful unit to measure performance against. We have learned that it is very difficult to measure accurately APU hourly use on the airfield as this requires extensive and resource intensive data collection. We determined that compliance of aircraft APU use against our own procedures is a more effective and efficient measure of performance. We will update our air quality action plan to reflect this change in key performance indicator.

Air quality monitoring

The graph below shows NO2 trends from December 2002 to December 2007 at monitoring sites around Heathrow. Some data from 2007 are still provisional and may change when ratified.

Air quality levels complied with the EU limits at most sites. The London Hillingdon site, which is just north of the M4, remains above the EU acceptable range. Air quality at this site is significantly affected by road traffic emissions. The Hillingdon Oxford Avenue site is just above the 2010 limit, but within the acceptable range defined by the EU.

The air quality around Heathrow airport is reported primarily through the Heathrow Airwatch website , which is jointly sponsored by the London Boroughs of Hillingdon and Hounslow, Slough and Spelthorne Borough Councils, BAA Heathrow and British Airways. The website was substantially updated in 2007 and went live in April 2008.

Influencing aircraft emissions
The percentage of air traffic movements meeting or exceeding the requirements of CAEP/4 -20% has decreased at Heathrow. We believe that airlines should be increasing not reducing the proportion of their cleanest aircraft if they are to meet the objectives of sustainable growth.

* Correction of figure provided in BAA Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan 2007-2011. 

In 2007, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic announced the decision to purchase new aircraft, which will be significantly cleaner than those that they replace. This will help reduce aircraft emissions at the airport.
Tackling ground-based emissions.

During 2007 a number of extra stands were made available to our airline customers due to the early release of stands at Terminal 5 and a number of other temporary stands around the airfield. This means that the assumptions around which the original targets were set became incorrect since it was not possible to serve the temporary stands with FEGP and so the percentage of FEGP availability dropped, making performance seem worse than previously measured. This manifests itself as a statistical 10% drop in performance.

FEGP is fitted to 90% of stands at Heathrow. PCA is now fitted to 21% of stands including four at Terminal 3 and all new Terminal 5 pier-served stands. With power units off, aircraft turnaround is  significantly quieter and fewer emissions are produced, improving our local air quality.

Clean Vehicles Programme (CVP)

At the end of 2007, the programme had 40 members, a reduction from 2006 due to a number of company mergers and completion of contracts. Four companies joined the CVP in 2007 including Apcoa, Green Tomato Cars, Comet Tankers and Pitney Bowes. 

2007 saw the completion of the CVP self-assessment pilot, where members were asked to assess their own performance and provide performance data against the CVP’s four key performance areas. Nearly 20 CVP members participated in the pilot and provided ample feedback on the self-assessment approach. The pilot has raised a number of issues, which we will be addressing in 2008, beginning with a more thorough consultation exercise on the future direction of the CVP.
 
Clean vehicles programme incentive scheme
In April 2007, several CVP members were awarded an incentive scheme grant for projects aimed at reducing vehicle emissions at Heathrow, representing an investment of over £35,000. 

DHL Exel, the operator of Heathrow’s Retail Consolidation Centre replaced a 7.5 tonne diesel delivery van with the equivalent electric van. The electric van will contribute to reducing emissions of NOx, particles and carbon dioxide. BAA's CVP Incentive Fund awarded DHL Exel a grant of £17,500 towards the cost of the electric delivery van.

National Express Ltd has been awarded a grant of £17,689 to upgrade its Hotel Hoppa coach fleet to meet more stringent Euro V emissions standards, rather than the required Euro IV standard. The early introduction of the upgraded vehicles will reduce NO2 emissions by an estimated 72%.  National Express is due to take delivery of the low-emission fleet in May 2008.

Hasmead Plc has been awarded £1500 to give all its operational staff advanced driver training. Good driving style can help to improve fuel consumption and reduce vehicle emissions and in the long-term reduce wear and tear on vehicles. Hasmead's driver training is scheduled to take place in early 2008.

BAA Fleet performance
BAA Heathrow is a member of the CVP and is currently at gold level. At Heathrow, 21% of the vehicles in our fleet are cleaner fuelled, including hybrid petrol/electric or fuelled by Liquid Petroleum Gas (a lower emissions alternative to petrol). In addition, over 50% of our company car fleet meet the Euro 4 vehicle engine standards.

In 2007 we started a process of upgrading our older operational fleet vehicles with emissions abatement equipment, helping to improve local air quality. 15% of our owned fleet will have been upgraded by mid 2008.

Summary

^a Limit set by the Terminal 5 planning condition (limit applies to passenger and cargo flights only)

^b 2007 target to establish a baseline for KPI

^c More information on mananging landside and airside vehicle emissions

^d LHR2 monitor is located airside and therefore not representative of public exposure

^e PM₁₀ data reported as a gravimetric equivalent

^f Excludes specialist vehicles

^g Correction of figure provided in BAA Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan 2007-2011

Issues and approach
Our plans