Delay in London City Airport Expansion Plan - Mayor

2008-08-01

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson has jumped into the controversial issue of London’s increasing air traffic.

The city chief asked council officials not to take a decision on whether to increase flights at London City Airport , until the National Air Traffic Services body is given time to review the matter properly.  And planners have agreed to defer any decision.

London City Airport hopes to increase flights by 50 per cent to 120,000 a year. Local residents immediately protested on the grounds of increased noise pollution.

The airport won tentative approval for the expansion from Newham Council planning officials on July 23. A final decision was due by the end of July, but Mayor Boris stepped in at the 11th hour in a letter to Newham Council which stated that, while he supported the airport's expansion, he wanted the study to review whether the plan would “blight” areas near the airport and undermine plans to build the Thames Gateway Bridge. The airport said it would co-operate with the review.