Boris backs call for public review of controversial new City Airport flight path

19.1.2010  (Fight the Flights press release) 

At a packed meeting in Ilford last night (1) the London Mayor Boris Johnson backed calls for a public review of the controversial new London City Airport flight path introduced last year.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will review the flight path later this year but local residents fear it will be carried out in private. MPs and local authorities have been inundated with complaints from residents since the introduction of the new flight path.

The CAA has said the take-off flight path is needed to cater for the increased number of jets using the airport. But it has resulted in aircraft noise being a problem for the first time across NE London . At busy times a plane is taking off over people’s homes at the rate of one every couple of minutes (2).

Reacting to the news, FTF SW-Essex Coordinator and local Havering resident, Steve Pullum said:, “This is great news that we have won the backing of Boris for a public review. Residents were not properly consulted before the flight path was introduced. Now is the time for a proper consultation. We feel residents will give a resounding No to the flight path following great support for the Judicial Review at last night's meeting” (4) 

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

1.  A recording of the Mayor of London's Environmental Question Time will be available on LBC: http://www.lbc.co.uk/ The Mayor's question time is a public event giving Londoners the opportunity to pose questions to the Mayor.

2. The Civil Aviation Authority signed off flight path changes for London City Airport (LCY) routes in May 2009 after removing the LCY proposals from the Terminal Control North Consultation process(which is being re-scheduled for other airport flight paths) without notification to those affected or stakeholders. The permission letter can be viewed at: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/7/20090220NATMACInformativeDecisionLetterLCA-PWRevision.pdf 

3.  London City Airport were given permission to expand flights by Newham Council from 76,000 to 120,000 per year in 2009.  An increase of around 50%.

4.  FTF launched a legal challenge in September 2009 to Newham's decision to grant approval to flight expansion. There are three aspects to Fight the Flights claim.

In summary they are

(1). that Newham failed to have regard to the Government’s policy on climate change and aviation;

(2) that Newham failed to consult relevant neighbouring local authorities; and

(3) Newham failed to consult the residents of those boroughs.

A copy of the legal grounds is available on request / or on our website at http://fighttheflights.com/.

5. Hornchurch MP, James Brokenshire successfully obtained an adjournment debate and tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions concerning the scandulously undemocratic decision of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), recently discovered to have re-directed LCA flight-paths over parts of Havering and Redbridge from 7th May 2009.

6.  London Borough Councils: Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets recently joined Bexley and Barking & Dagenham in opposing the expansion of City Airport.

FTF Coalition Spokesperson: 07984 300558

Blogsite:  http://londoncityairportfighttheflights.blogspot.com/
Website: www.fighttheflights.com

(19th January 2010)

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