The Green Party wishes to declare its support for the campaigners who oppose the decision by Newham Council to increase the amount of flights proposed for London City Airport (Guardian July 16).In the first instance the fact that any single borough council is able to make a unilateral decision on such an important issue such as this, which will adversely affect the quality of life for many people in outlying boroughs, beggars belief.
Mr Jezierski and the Wanstead & Woodford group that he represents and Ms Griffin of Fight the Flights are absolutely correct in their beliefs that residents will suffer increased air and noise pollution due to the extra and unnecessary flight blight.
The argument put forward by the airport that 'the extra flights will boost the local community's economic and regeneration prospects' is a misnomer; in point of fact the reverse is truer. Even more commuters will make their way straight to the airport by car. This will lead to passengers buying their provisions at the airport rather than from local traders having caused more pollution and congestion, thereby affecting the area with further environmental degradation. Furthermore the extra flights will soon lead to the need for an inevitable expansion, ad infinitum et ad nauseam.
In other words it will be all planes, pains and no gains.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party - Redbridge
