Sunday, February 10, 2008

The REAL Impact on Communities

Our resident campaigners in the Borough of Greenwich sent these to us today. It shows the astonishing noise levels that are experienced at the east end of the runway. It also shows how astonishing it is that London City Airport, Newham and Greenwich Councils were not going to notify or consult residents at all until FTF got involved.

Shame on you LCA, Newham and Greenwich - for totally abusing the democracy of this country and removing residents democratic right to the notification, let alone the real facts. It's not the first time it's happened either; in January 2007 Newham slipped through the back door more flights in the weekdays for London City Airport- they completely ignored the democratic process and local planning legislation in doing so. Interestingly that event was even referred to as "smoke and mirrors" by the city diarist of The Times, Martin Waller. Perhaps that is why BA and London City Airport are saying the New York service using the Boeing jet will be going ahead - despite not having planning approval yet! We'll be following up on this issue in the future, exploring what action we will be taking in light of both events.

Newham Council have done nothing at all to monitor the noise impact of the planes of the areas affected - and this video shows that they should have been for some time, if not years.

Incidently the reading starting off in the mid 40dbs and doubled to 82dbs. Currently London City Airport claim that the area has a Laeq of 56db - we say that is utter rubbish and completely inaccurate. But bearing in mind that LCA run a recorder that runs on a battery which often runs out at the east end of the runway and the other noise recording equipment is inaccurate and inefficient - you can see that LCA have completely abused the noise monitoring levels. In addition Newham are grossly negligent in protecting residents, from this noise nuisance, illness and pollution inducing activity, from across the boroughs as they have made no attempt to independently take noise measurements.