London council taken to court over City airport expansion

Newham council is being taken to court by local campaigners after giving the go-ahead to a massive increase in flights from London City Airport.

Fight The Flights, a community group represented by lawyers at Friends of the Earth's Rights & Justice Centre say the Council failed to consult residents before allowing the number of flights to almost double from 73,000 to 120,000 a year.

Campaigners also argue the Council failed to take account of the Government’s commitment to reducing aviation emissions to below 2005 levels by 2050.

The campaign coincides with the start of British Airway's twice-daily transatlantic business flights from London City Airport to New York.

'Increasing flights at London City Airport is completely wrong - it will bump up carbon emissions and add to the misery of local people who are already suffering from poor air quality and noise disturbance,' said Fight The Flights' campaigner Anne-Marie Griffin.

Phil Michaels, from Friends of the Earth's, said Mayor Boris Johnson should focus on helping London boroughs boost their local economies in ways that would benefit both people and the environment.

Useful links
Fight the flights

See also

• Airlines admit carbon reductions to come from offsetting
• Dilemma: how do you define unnecessary travel
• Can flying ever be green?