Fight the Flights’ response to the Plane Stupid action at City Airport

10.6.2009     (“Fight the Flights” press release)

FIGHT THE FLIGHTS RESPONSE TO PLANE STUPID’S ACTION AT LONDON CITY AIRPORT

(see Plane Stupid’s website for details of the City Airport protest)

Fight the Flights is not a direct action group, but we fully appreciate the frustration
that the climate change activists feel in getting their voices, and concerns heard
on aviation expansion, and how aviation is one of the fastest growing sources
of CO2 emissions.

It is no wonder that some campaigners feel they are being pushed into taking
non violent direct action because the system is failing people of their democratic
rights to protect their communities, futures and their environment from harmful
‘runaway’ airport and flight expansion.

Just under a 100,000 residents in east and south east London will be affected
by the increasing excessive noise levels from London City Airport upon expansion,
and yet less than 10,000 were claimed to have been consulted by the London Borough
of Newham.     Most will not be entitled to any noise insulation.     They will have
to live with the consequences every day of their lives, each time a flight takes
off and lands.     The majority do not have the option to move, and many lived in
the area long before the airport’s creation.

Benefits?

In just over 20 years, the airport has only managed to directly employ 120 Newham
residents out of the 406 directly employed staff the airport claim to employ.

London taxpayers have also paid £24million for the airport’s security provided
by the Metropolitan Police over the past 5 years, which the airport refuse to
pay.

In addition the air quality above London City Airport exceeds EU directive levels
by 50% and was termed as ‘toxic’ but this was not acknowledged by the London Borough
of Newham.    In a borough which has the highest level of mortality in under 30s
with asthma in the whole country, Newham should be focussing on improving air
quality, not adding to the pollution by approving further expansion at this residentially
situated airport in the most densely populated area of England.

Eroded Democracy

Residents have been constantly thwarted and ignored by this government and the
London Borough of Newham when providing evidence against the expansion.   Requests
for a public inquiry into the planned 50% expansion of flights at London City
Airport was refused by Hazel Blears, Secretary of State in 2008, whilst the London
Borough of Newham showed no concern that 100s of homes in Greenwich will now be
in the crash zone and failed to address the risk to residents and communities
who live, work or travel through the crash zone in both Newham and Greenwich.    

However in contrast the government and council appear to consistently listen
to the aviation industry at the expense of the communities:   this is expansion
at any cost.

With a government that does not listen to local concerns on the effects of expansion
on third party safety, increasing pollution levels, the effect on residents’ health
and children’s development, and the contribution to climate change, it is no wonder
that we are seeing actions such as this more frequently.

END

 

Fight the Flights website and Fight the flights  blogspot

 

 

for more details and reports on the Plane   Stupid action at City Airport see

Plane Stupid at City