After just about one month of forming our coalition, FTF held it's first meeting in the Royal Docks last Wednesday. We were very pleased to see the meeting room full with attendees and that the comments from residents reflected what Fight the Flights has been saying all along: that residents are not happy with London City Airports application to expand and their behaviour at all.
There is clearly frustration and anger at how poorly they have been treated with regard to noise and changed activities at the airport over the years - and not being told the real facts and the implications of expansion has further added to this anger. Residents were shocked at the facts presented to them at the meeting by the various speakers regarding the real implications of expansion, how it will affect them, and also how much it costs the taxpayer to keep feeding the insatiable aviation sector in this country. Speakers attended from:
Airport Watch
The Aviation Environment Federation
Hacan
Friends of the Earth
LADACAN
London21
FTF Campaigner from the Borough of Redbridge
It was felt that LCA have little respect for the local residents. Comments, alledged to have been made by Richard Gooding, Chief Executive of LCA some time ago such as:
"I can't give local people jobs as they are illiterate" clearly stick in residents memories - and so they should. It displays the sheer contempt towards neighbouring communities and could explain why LCA pay so little attention to the environment or the health of the communities in their application to expand.
So after a hugely successful meeting - and further expanding our supporter base we are getting stronger and more organised by the day.
We have already achieved so much here at FTF, we will achieve more and we will make ourselves heard and seen.
There is clearly frustration and anger at how poorly they have been treated with regard to noise and changed activities at the airport over the years - and not being told the real facts and the implications of expansion has further added to this anger. Residents were shocked at the facts presented to them at the meeting by the various speakers regarding the real implications of expansion, how it will affect them, and also how much it costs the taxpayer to keep feeding the insatiable aviation sector in this country. Speakers attended from:
Airport Watch
The Aviation Environment Federation
Hacan
Friends of the Earth
LADACAN
London21
FTF Campaigner from the Borough of Redbridge
It was felt that LCA have little respect for the local residents. Comments, alledged to have been made by Richard Gooding, Chief Executive of LCA some time ago such as:
"I can't give local people jobs as they are illiterate" clearly stick in residents memories - and so they should. It displays the sheer contempt towards neighbouring communities and could explain why LCA pay so little attention to the environment or the health of the communities in their application to expand.
So after a hugely successful meeting - and further expanding our supporter base we are getting stronger and more organised by the day.
We have already achieved so much here at FTF, we will achieve more and we will make ourselves heard and seen.
