Thursday, October 30, 2008

Embraer 190 Trial Flights On Saturday 1 November- What next?

As you can see 'green technology' is really influencing flights at London City Airport. And pigs can fly (also dogs).

Despite Embraer announcing that trial flights will take place this Saturday in AIT and on all over the web, London City Airport Gary Hodgetts and LB Newham Planning Sunil Sahadadevan have curiously denied this and said it is incorrect. They have also confirmed that the airport operational hours will be as they are normally on a saturday: 07:00 until 12:30. So will Saturday confirm the airport and Newham to be telling the truth?

The trial flights of the Embraer were announced by Embraer themselves and have been reported on various news sites including UK Airport News Info.

Clearly any residents spotting a Embraer 190 on Saturday, there's a nice photo in one of our earlier posts, or flights out of hours should note the time and date and let us know. But of course, LCA and Newham wouldn't want to mis-lead residents, or would they??

Camcorders, and cameras to the ready!

LCA Breaks Operating Rules - Blame The Child

The Newham Recorder - otherwise known as the London City Airport Recorder, whoops we mean the Newham Recorder, has once again surpassed it's own standards of biased, misleading reporting in favour of LCA.

Can you spot the comments from residents in the article, or reference to the Section 106 operating conditions? No? Well you won't find them because the Editor Colin Grainger generally appears to encourage his reporters to write reports on LCA from only one source - LCA themselves (or Hill and Knowlton LCA's PR company).

So we see that Hill and Knowlton of tobacco advertising fame, have advised LCA to use the 'child' or family as a reason for breaking their legal obligations. Does that pull your heartstrings, H & K trying to make out that the airport shows compassion for human beings? We're glad they bought that issue up:
  • a jet taking off after 22:30 is NOT ALLOWED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
  • it is irrelevant who is on that flight

  • where they are going

  • what they are doing

But we wonder, are LCA saying that they would discriminate against sending a plane of thirty something businessmen off after allowed operating hours, but would, and did send a plane off out of hours because it had a family aboard who were going on holiday? Isn't that discrimination?

What Hill and Knowlton and LCA fail to acknowledge is that a 100 people on a plane taking off out of operating hours affected:

  • 100,000s of residents in their homes who are supposed to be protected by the section 106 - but have rarely been to date:

  • residents were not only disturbed in Newham but also across neighbouring boroughs

  • it disturbed the elderly, babies, children and the sick

But silly us, they aren't important are they? But compared to 100 paying passengers having their flight cancelled because by sending it would be a breach of operating conditions, and breaking the 'quiet time' the airport are supposed to allow us all overnight, - residents didn't matter and LCA let their 'flight of fancy' take place yet again

Trebles all round for Hill and Knowlton and LCA. Once again showing that profit comes first - residents come....well nowhere!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Worst EU Lobbying Awards - 2008

Campaigning against the expansion of LCA flights has certainly been an eye opener for the underhand tactics that lobbyists use, and the double standards they employ. So why not cast your eye over the Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2008 and cast your vote:

VOTE HERE

We couldn't possibly tell you who to vote for...but why not read IATA's nomination and see how you feel:

(The following has been extracted from the Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2008 web pages)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Nominated for its deceptive lobbying campaign to avoid CO2 reduction obligations in the aviation sector.

IATA, the lobby group of Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France and other airlines, has used a combination of greenwash PR and heavy-handed threats to convince EU decision-makers that airlines should be excluded from the EU emissions trading scheme or at least be given free pollution permits if included.

Aviation is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions in Europe, but according to the website created on behalf of IATA’s (Enviro.Aero) and adverts in major international newspapers featuring flowers and butterflies, airlines only contribute 2% to global man-made CO2 emissions. This figure dates from 1992 and omits all the other non-CO2 emissions and indirect effects at high altitude, downplaying the real damage being caused by aviation. If these are taken into account, aviation’s global contribution is estimated as between 3–7%, while in the EU, aviation’s contribution to climate change was estimated as between 4.7–11.6% in 2005.

As MEPs considered what action to take, airline lobbyists continuously threatened that reduction obligations for the sector would be an economic disaster and would result in legal challenges by other countries. In fact IATA is actively encouraging these legal challenges themselves by lobbying Australia and other governments to take legal action against the EU. IATA’s aggressive lobbying was partly successful: in July 2008 MEPs voted for emissions cuts by airlines of 3-5% from 2012 onwards, providing 85% of the industry’s pollution permits for free.

IATA is currently staging an exhibition at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, promoting their misleading information to an even wider audience.

Vote for IATA if you object to corporate greenwash and scare-mongering tactics to avoid greenhouse gas emission reductions

Additional information :

Climate forcing of aviation emissions in high altitudes and comparison of metrics ­ An update according to the Fourth Assessment Report, IPCC 2007, Hartmut Grassl and Dietrich Brockhagen, December 2007.

Clearing the air: the myth and reality of aviation and climate change”, CAN Europe ­ T&E, July 2006, p.33.




http://www.worstlobby.eu/2008/

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Cllr Alan Craig, CPA Newham - Calls for Public Inquiry

In a press release Newham Council's opposition leader: Cllr Alan Craig has called for a public inquiry into the plans to expand London City Airport flights:

The decision of Newham Borough Council to wave through plans for a 50 per cent increase in flights to London City Airport must go to a public enquiry, according to Council Opposition Leader, Cllr Alan Craig of the Christian Peoples Alliance party.

In a question last night at Full Council to Newham’s executive Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, Cllr Craig said the Council’s planning procedures had not addressed fundamental issues relating to the expansion such as the growth, role and future of the airport. He said it was vital that the Secretary of State, Hazel Blears should now ‘call in’ the application so that it goes before a public enquiry.

“There is a cosy consensus between the Tory London Mayor and Labour’s flagship local authority that London City Airport should be expanded, despite all the evidence of the damage that will inflicted on East End residents by rising noise pollution and air pollution, together with an increase in emissions that cause global warming”, commented Cllr Alan Craig. Alan Craig added: “There is deep anger in Newham that current restrictions are simply ignored.

Last Friday, London City Airport permitted a jet to take off after operational hours. Flights are not allowed to take off after 22:30 – yet the Airport allowed a clear breach of their planning conditions. And Newham admit freely that the Airport have allowed flights to operate out of hours in the past. Despite these flagrant abuses, Newham Council have not taken any action against the airport.” In July 2008, Newham Council approved planning permission for London City Airport to increase flights from 80,000 to 120,000 per annum. Over 10,000 letters were sent to local residents of which 1109 replied, 801 with objections and 308 in support. However, the damage caused by noise and air pollution will impact very many more residents on both sides of the river Thames, who would have a proper say at a public enquiry.

Praising work done to raise key issues by campaign groups Fight the Flights, Stop London City Airport and Plane Stupid, Cllr Alan Craig concluded: “Newham have not addressed properly the question of noise pollution.

A local teacher told planners how his students had carried out a project monitoring aircraft noise around their neighbourhood over a number of months, and consistently read average levels of 85 – 90db. This is well in excess of what the airport admits to – anything over 57db is judged to be a nuisance. And the Airport need to address the concerns of opponents who say no reliable noise measurements have been taken since 2000. Fight the Flights have a point when they say the levels in the airport’s application seem to be from data that is over 8 years old.

How Would LCA Flight Expansion Affect You?

If permission is granted for the additional flights 40, 384 flights over 260 weekdays, the airport will be allowed to operate an additional 155 flights per day. (quote from John Austin, MP)

THINK:
  • An ADDITIONAL 155 flights per day TOTALLING TO AN ESTIMATED 447 FLIGHTS PER DAY.

  • 447 NOISE EVENTS EVERY DAY measuring 80dbs and above for over 60,000 residents in the noise contours

  • 100,000's MORE RESIDENTS affected by noise disturbance below 80dbs, COVERING 5-6 BOROUGHS.

  • This means a flight would have to TAKE OFF CONSISTENTLY EVERY 2 MINUTES AND 14 SECONDS OVER A 16 HOUR OPERATING DAY to achieve the annual flight capacity that LB Newham have approved.

  • In reality flights take off in batches, with 90 seconds in between each flight. Newham approved LCA in 2007 (WITHOUT CONSULTING THE COMMUNITIES) to put as many flights out in any one day as they wish (but adhering to their current annual limits), THIS MEANS THAT ON THE BUSIEST DAYS RESIDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE A FLIGHT EVERY 90 SECONDS FROM 07:00 to 22:00.

Why not let them know how you feel about this - DEMAND a public inquiry.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Lawyers Sharpen Pencils

FTF has been informed that the Government Office for London is still waiting for LB Newham and LCA to agree the planning conditions (section 106). Until the conditions are agreed the application is not formally approved, despite having been approved at the planning meeting.

As soon as the conditions are agreed the Secretary of State will be in a position to announce whether she wishes to 'call in' the application for a public inquiry. FTF, other individuals and organisations are waiting for this decision as this will then dictate what legal action can be taken. Our legal advisors are already preparing for various scenarios.

It does seem outrageous that a planning committee can approve an application which has not even had the conditions agreed. This means that residents have no idea which conditions will be set, and with the history of LCA and Newham - it appears they don't spend too much time caring for the communities at all. Letting LB Newham discuss such important issues behind closed doors with LCA is nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen - look at the current situation for evidence of that.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Coming Soon - Boris Johnson Rewards Goodings Failure

Coughing and A 'Stench' in East London?

City airport reopens after evacuation over stench

Saturday, 25 Oct 2008
London City airport (LCA) has reopened after being evacuated yesterday due to a suspicious smell at the airport raised safety fears.

Many passengers at the airport reported frequent coughing and irritation resulting in 2,000 people having to vacate the airport's premises. Firefighters were asked to investigate the cause of the strange smell and the building was reopened two hours later.

A spokeswoman for the airport, Rupa Haria, told Bloomberg that a suspect package had been found in the ladies' toilets.

Normal operations have now been resumed at the transport hub. LCA is the capital's smallest international airport
.
____________________________________________________________

It struck us here at FTF towers that coughing and strange stenches are a daily part of life in East London....mostly the stench of kerosene from the jet centre, and from jets burning off fuel, and the coughing that insues in the residents who reside closest to the airport.

Put that alongside Newham having the highest mortality rates in under 30s with asthma in the whole of the country and disproportionately high levels of respiratory conditions it seems that the whole of Newham should perhaps be evacuated?

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Bigger, noisier planes are coming to the skies near you.


And LCA told you they weren't going to operate bigger planes? The following story is seen in Flightglobal.

Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has scheduled a range of E-190 flight trials at London City Airport for 1 November with a view to securing steep approach certification for the type by late 2009.

Aircraft operating into London City Airport must perform a 5.5° approach, and manufacturers must demonstrate capability for an approach of up to 7.5°.

Embraer is planning to certify two of its four-member E-Jet family for London City operations. The E-170 secured its approval last summer and the larger variant was slated to follow suit by the first quarter of 2009 under plans which were detailed at a pre-Farnborough air show media briefing in June.

It appears that timelines for certification of the larger family member have slipped. Speaking at the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General Assembly in the UK city of Manchester, Embraer senior VP for Europe, Middle East and Africa Luiz Fuchs said: "The Embraer 190 will be certified [for London City operations] by the end of next year, in the last quarter of 2009."

He adds that the type is scheduled to perform some trials at London City Airport on 1 November. These tests will include take-offs, landings and manoeuvring.


More Calls For A Public Inquiry

We told you it wasn't over, and it certainly isn't:

Bexley Council has called for a public inquiry and John Austin, MP for Erith and Thamesmead has once again repeated his request to the Secretary of State Hazel Blears for a 'call in' of the application by London City Airport to expand to 120,000 flights per year.

In John Austin MP's press release dated 12 October he states:

" Many of my constituents are naturally concerned about increased levels of noise and atmospheric pollution if the planning application were granted. If permission is granted for the additional flights 40, 384 flights over 260 weekdays, the airport will be allowed to operate an additional 155 flights per day. Constituents have expressed to me their belief that this proposal will lead to an unacceptable increase in noise and disturbance and will lead to a deterioration in their amenities. It is therefore extremely dissapointing to hear that if planning permission were to be granted, to London City Airport's sound insulation grant scheme would not be made available to any Bexley residents and I am urging the airport to reconsider this stance particularly with regard to my constituents living in Thamesmead."

"John also backed Bexley Council's motion passed unanimously at its planning control committee meeting on 9 October asking the Secretary of State to call the decision in. The motion proposed by Belvedere Councillor Daniel Francis committed the London Borough of Bexley to also ask the Secretary of State to call in the decision."

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

London City Airport and Newham Council: A Dysfunctional, But Loving Relationship


As documented in various other accounts around the web, the events of last Wednesday's planning meeting were truly spectacular and perfectly displayed the dubious and underhand nature of the London Borough of Newham. We'd recommend anyone who hasn't attended a Newham Planning meeting to attend the very next one and witness the ineptitude of the ruling party and their officers.

First of all three Cllrs had sent their apologies in (despite some being in the room nearby, probably having a glass of Cristal with LCA) as they had been so busy accepting gifts over the past year or so from LCA that it was rather inappropriate for them to attend.

Then the Chairman wanted to try and stop the Chair of FTF speaking (which one of the room stewards commented without prompt that he found very unusual and had never heard it said before: "if she arrives after the start, she cannot talk"), to then moving on to Newham's endless presentation on their love affair with the corporate 'experts'. It was nothing more than an airport advertisement with no mention of 8 years of uninforced planning conditions and very little attention paid to the negative effects:
  • no mention of the residents who have been waiting for noise insulation for 6 years too long,

  • the lack of reliable and consistent noise readings for 8 years

  • noise contours based on 8 year old estimated data

  • a PSZ that ignored DFT methodology

  • the failing of meeting anywhere near the previous claims of employment growth,

  • the lack of reliable and consistent air quality readings

  • a consultation which never went anywhere near consulting even all those whom live in the 'estimated' noise mapping area

...and a whole host of other appalling effects which Newham has purposely overlooked in their love affair with LCA, Bickerdike Allen Partners and RPS. The whole application is based on flawed data and LIES. Of course this was all helped along by the PR company, Hill and Knowlton, (who told people that smoking didn't cause cancer, even when they knew it did). The spin merry henchmen, and woman were watching the events of the evening from the video room. LCA keep such good company. The mutual admiration was almost tangible - in fact we could have sworn that the political had joined the corporate and had become one.

Surely not in a democracy? But then you remember it's Newham Council, which has a more than colourful history and damaging reputation. The ruling regime over there doesn't deal in facts, it rather likes to use weasel words to skirt around the truths...such as "it is not true that there were no readings taking in 8 years" - when in fact it is true, as the few readings that were taken, when the noise monitoring equipment just by chance was working (which wasn't often) were deemed to be unreliable and inadequate. So, no RELIABLE noise readings of London City Airport's activities in 8 years then.

Bickerdike Allen Partners rep look terrified when he stood up on behalf of the airport, but braced himself enough to praise Newham for their stringent noise management of the airport. What, after 8 years of LCA failing to present actual noise measurements? We think, what he was really saying was 'thank you so much, for overlooking the unprofessionalism and lack of commitment that LCA has shown towards the planning condition requiring them to provide actual noise readings annually'. 'Never mind that the locals have suffered because of this - we think your great'.

It just so happened that FTF had Bickerdike Allen's report in their hand - which states that 'no reliable noise data has been collected since 2000'. It is quite surprising that BAP would make such disingenous statements with the hard evidence of the facts in the public realm. So what price honesty BAP, or should we simply ask 'how much will it cost to...'?

Not surprisingly after the BAP's statement of lies - chaos broke out in the chamber. Residents were furious. BAP man gave up and sat down in the end, realising he couldn't spin in the light of the evidence: much to the disapointment of the smug LCA man sitting next to him from the airport - that will surely incur a refund on his hourly rate! BAP - change sides, come and work for groups like us - with all this abuse of noise monitoring going on we are sure groups such as ourselves could provide you with work for the rest of your working lives. But we would, of course, expect 100% honesty in the presentation of the facts.

The chaos breaking out in the chamber was a good sign, especially when it was in response to lies being told in public chambers by the disingenuous corporate 'consultants'. Anyone who has an ounce of honesty and morals will find it uneasy to swallow the bitter pill of such public dishonesty around LCA and LB Newham.

One of the councillors sitting on the planning committee, asked Sunil Sahadevan, the planning case officer for LB Newham if any letters of support of the proposed expansion had been received by residents from the Royal Docks. Sunil stuttered for what seemed like minutes, (obviously trying to think of something that would make LCA look as if it had at least some community support) and then stated that "over 300 letters were received in support of the airport". Hmm that didn't answer the question, and the Chair (good job chair!) asked him to clarify: he stuttered again before adding that "a few were received". Hmm is that 1, 2 or 3 we wondered? We know that one of them was from Cllr Kellerway.

The councillor looked disappointed when it was revealed that all but a 'few' of these letters of support came from: the aviation industry and business. That raised more than a giggle from the chambers. The support for expansion amounted to a figure less than the 400 or so staff that the airport claims to have 'created' jobs for.

The councillor however wasn't going to spend too much time worrying about what the residents of the Royal Docks, or anywhere else wanted...UNLESS of course they were in favour of the expansion. Objectors letters amounted to well over a 1000, and 2 of those objections were petitions that totalled just under 1000 signatures between them. Newham didn't want to count them though - so each petition was counted as 1 objection each.

Another objector revealed that Newham had not consulted the Civil Aviation Authority, though Newham had also forgotten to initially consult the London City Airport Consultation Committee aswell.

You get to be an expert of understanding the LB Newham and London City Airport's own personal set of definitions, 'speak' and interpretations of the English Dictionary, the cynical and purposely misleading statements they make, which omit crucial information. But don't worry, as they skirted around the real facts, and buried them - that doesn't make them bad - the blame is clearly on residents: it's your fault for not realising or asking the 'RIGHT' questions with the 'RIGHT' words or not complaining about the breaches of the planning conditions despite never being told what the conditions were. Ever see Jeremy Paxman interview? Well that is exactly the way in which these insincere, disingenuous individuals need to be dealt with. We tried that with John Fannon, Head of Newham Planning after the meeting.

John Fannon actually seems like a nice guy, but his choice to work for Newham is puzzling if our impression about him as an individual is correct. Surely he'd heard the rumours about LB Newham and the "Whip Master" before he took post, or perhaps he felt he could make a difference. With the whip master in place this appears unlikely. When we tried the Jeremy Paxman approach as John kept skirting the issue about the noise readings it was more interesting - he had to admit "there were noise readings taken, but they were not reliable" , not reliable to use in 8 years - so no actual noise readings then! We also asked John why Newham had made no effort to enforce the section 106 conditions on LCA. John said their had been 'problems', but the more we pushed him, he resorted to the get out of jail card "I've only worked here for a 18 months". So that's all right then. We asked him why, if that was the case, why didn't he take the opportunity to clean up the act of his department and start enforcing the planning conditions at LCA and make a real impact on his arrival in the post. His telling response was to the effect that Newham had not felt that it was right to enforce noise monitoring in the past year and a half because this application would, he quoted "raise the benchmark". Oh dear, doesn't this indicate that this application had been rubber stamped rather a long time ago, despite him denying this?

But his comment is even more interesting: London City Airport are always going on (they do a lot) about this fantastic noise management programme they have in place. You know, the one where they insulate only homes built after a certain year, and who they choose to be in the estimated noise map of 57db laeq and over. When other airports insulate at a higher noise level, LCA likes to boast that they insulate at a lower threshold. But the difference is that the others do actually insulate, not just say they will, and and then leave it for 6 years for vast swathes of the communities who are the worst affected. It must be quite difficult to work out whose homes are in the REAL 57dblaeq when you haven't provided actual noise data for 8 years.

But what is important about the 'raise the benchmark' comment on noise monitoring, other than none of us know what this will mean in reality, is that we were told by an official just a week ago that the noise insulation that LCA offers is of poor quality. Apparently it is not of the same standard as that offered at other airports. So yet another show of lack of committment and care towards the community by London City Airport - all supported by the LB Newham.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Mayor of London Tells Sir Robin - Follow the Rules. Don't be a Poodle!


Clearly when Fight the Flights went to City Hall, they made a clear presentation of the irresponsible, negligent and collusive behaviour between Newham Council and London City Airport. What's more we were able to provide the evidence. Not spin, like Newham and City Airport deal in, but hard facts and evidence.

So now we see Sir Robin Wales receive a clear message from the Mayor of London - enforce and start doing the job of monitoring the disingenous, weasel worded airport, rather than being their poodle.

Newham and London City Airport are clearly under growing public scrutiny, about time too. And there's more to come......

Enjoy the letter: click it to enlarge.

John Stewart - Tops The Independent's: Most effective greens

Fight the Flights congratulates its' colleague and fellow campaigner John Stewart of HACAN on being voted the top environmentalist in the country. This is a well deserved title, to a dedicated and exceptional individual who we value highly.

As many of you know, John has offered his support and advice to FTF since is formation almost a year ago, and has been present at the major planning meetings. He is a key source of inspiration to our campaign.

The Independent on Sunday

The IoS Green List: Britain's top 100 environmentalists
Sunday, 12 October 2008

"Britain's most successful transport campaigner has come top of the first comprehensive list of the country's most effective greens, compiled by The Independent on Sunday."

"The little-known John Stewart, who leads the onslaught against a third runway at Heathrow, soundly beats far more high-profile figures – from Jonathon Porritt to Zac Goldsmith, from Sir David Attenborough to Prince Charles – to take the honour. He does so in the wake of an important breakthrough for his campaign – the announcement by the Conservative Party that it plans to scrap the runway in favour of high-speed rail links that would supplant short-haul flights."

Full story can be accessed by clicking the Independent On Sunday link above.


Climate isn't a dirty word, but carbon is, and LCA will pay to dump more over your homes

Residents affected by London City Airports contribution to pollution and who care about the quality of air they breathe, their health and the environment take note:

Taken from the Climate Rush website:

"Normal people really can change the world. 100 years ago the Suffragettes went to Parliament and demanded that their society change. They held a mass rally outside Parliament to which thousands came, before a number of them rushed into Parliament and got everyone's attention. We invite you all to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this world changing event. We invite you to celebrate when women got radical. Enjoy a rally and speeches in Parliament Square. Enjoy social change."

THE PLAN
"Come to Parliament Square at 5.30pm on Monday 13th October. Dress in white or wear period costume. One of our stewards will give you the Climate Rush sash. A range of inspirational women have agreed to speak: Rosie Boycott, Caroline Lucas (MEP and leader of the Green Party), Joy Greasley (Vice-Chair of the Women's Institute), Sam Roddick, Baroness Tonge and more...

It's not just a 'rush' for women. Check the website for more details.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Newham Residents Speak Out

ITV were down amongst the residents last Wednesday, asking how they felt about the airport. And guess what? Not one was for expansion. They spoke about noise and pollution, and how it had got worse over the last couple of years.

It's just a shame that their elected Councillors cared so little about them, not even enough to represent their views to the 'Whip Master' Sir Robin Wales, who allegedly dictates to his councillors what they should do and say. See the link below, you will need to allow the ad to play before the news feature, but we hope you will find this article as balanced and representative as we did.

ITV London City Airport - News Feature

And there' s more: our very own local resident and FTF campaigner, Neil Pearce was down in the Royal Docks with BBC London, further highlighting the devastating effect the expansion would have on the community. See link below

BBC London City Airport - News Feature

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Lies, Lies and More Lies

Fight the Flights is outraged that Newham Council has seen fit to approve a 50% increase in flights to a total of 120,000, in the face of a flawed application based on flawed data. The application was put together on 'estimated information' due to London City Airports' failure to adhere to the planning conditions set up 8 years ago. Residents shouted 'traitors' at the decision to approve as chaos broke out in the chambers. Some of those residents have been waiting over 6 years for noise insulation that the airport should have provided within 6 months.

The 5 to 1 vote in favour of expansion will see an increase in jets, including the bigger A318 operating at intervals of every 90 seconds throughout the day. However LCA are willing to buy carbon credits from other parts of the UK, and probably other parts of the world, which will essentially enable them to dump tons of carbon dust over the residents of East and South East London and the wider environment. Newham, with the highest death rates in under 30s with asthma in the country, are clearly deciding the future of residents.

According to LCA and RPS, pollution is not their problem when the planes leave the runway - then it becomes the airlines. LCA has consistently shown that they have no respect for the community or the environment and have continued to present inaccurate and disingenuous statements and 'estimated evidence'. This while they fraglantly abused operating conditions. Objectors who spoke, including residents from across the boroughs, included the London Borough of Bexley, Tilfen Land, Friends of the Earth, Plane Stupid and HACAN.

The four councillors who voted in favour seemed uninterested in the effect of an additional 46,000 residents being affected by excessive noise and pollution. The questions that they asked were of an appalling quality and not what residents would expect from their representatives. In fact they appeared so keen to support the airport that one councillor in particular couldn't wait for the voting signal before placing his arm in the air in favour.

Fight the Flights (FTF)is talking to its legal team and liaising with others, with view to a judicial review if the application is not called in by the Secretary of State. It appears that a legal challenge is likely. The communities are not willing to accept this approval and will continue to fight.

FTF continues to challenge the lies and purposely misleading information that London City Airport, RPS, Bickerdike Allen Partners and LB Newham continue to produce to support and justify this flawed application.

They think it's all over, but they are very wrong.

See more about the day and the commitment of individuals who want to protect their communities:

Amelia's Magazine
Plane Stupid
Airport Watch

Monday, October 06, 2008

Fight The Flights Goes To City Hall

Fight the Flights took the campaign to City Hall today. In a meeting which lasted almost two hours with Sir Simon Milton, Deputy Mayor and his colleagues, the real facts, and appalling behaviour of London City Airport and of the LB Newham towards residents was shared. A presentation was given to Sir Simon highlighting the key issues and failures of both parties concerned.

Issues such as the consistent breaches of noise and air monitoring, the 6 year delays on noise insulation by LCA and Newham failing to take any action to protect the communities were discussed alongside the issue of the flawed data presented in the application.

We didn't expect to change the Mayor's mind - but in the Mayor of London's eyes 120,000 flights is where it stops. In addition Sir Simon's officers will ensure that the Mayor of London's ambient noise strategy is adhered to and they have already taken steps towards meeting our request.