‘We’ll have to wear gas masks soon!’ Neighbours on London City Airport flightpath fear impact of more noisy planes taking off in the morning after plans to fly 2.5m more passengers a year get the green light _ hieuuk
Residents living near London City airport claim they will have to wear ‘gasmasks’ soon – as an increase in flights could send air pollution soaring.
The airport, located in East London, has had plans approved to increase its passenger cap from 6.5 million to nine million.
But their bid to overturn a ban on Saturday afternoon flights has been rejected – meaning more flights will take off between 6am and 9am.
London City airport say they would have only permitted new ‘cleaner quieter aircraft[s]’ during these times.
Locals living in and around Silvertown, in the borough of Newham, said that more planes will be an ‘absolute nightmare’.
June Welcome, 59, who lives nearby with her eight-year-old granddaughter Alaramay, says she is scared for her family because of the increased air pollution.
Pictured is an illustration of the flight path at London City Airport and Silvertown, where locals are furious at the planned passenger increase at the transportation hub
June Welcome (left) and her granddaughter Alaramay (right) live close to London City airport – which has just had plans approved to increase its passenger cap
The airport, located in East London, is now able to increase its passenger cap from 6.5 million to 9 million – meaning more flights will take off between 6am and 9am
The resident of 26 years said: ‘It is an absolute nightmare. If they increase them it is going to be horrendous.
‘This is a mostly residential area and having planes constantly going over is scary and it is dangerous.
‘It is the most polluted borough in the country. I fear for my granddaughter and my daughter who has asthma, she struggles.
‘We will be walking around in gas masks soon. We don’t know what all these pollutants are doing to us.’
June added that she has gotten used to the noise mostly, but still believes the airport bosses should be helping more.
She added: ‘You get used to the noise. The only time you really notice it is when you are on the phone and can’t hear a thing.
‘I live in social housing, so I don’t have the privilege of just being able to move.
‘This is all about money, and money always takes priority over other peoples lives. The people who run the airport don’t live here so they don’t have to suffer the consequences.’
Nirav Gajra, 35, says the planes have woken him up every day for the last year and that he is dreading an increase.
The resident, who works in a bank, said: ‘It already bothers me. It wakes me up every morning. I don’t really need an alarm because I have the planes.
‘It is so loud. You want peace in the morning. You don’t want a lot of noise. It is the worst in summer because you want to keep your windows open, but you can’t because of the noise.
‘It would be nice if the airport would do something to help the residents.
‘I have been thinking about moving but I have only just moved here from Canary Wharf. I came here because I wanted quiet, and this seemed like a peaceful village. The planes ruin that.’
Nirav Gajra (pictured) says the planes have woken him up every day for the last year and that he is dreading an increase
A general view of the homes under the flightpath of London City airport
A plane lands at London City Airport as an expansion has been given the green light
T Santos, 52, only wanted to give an initial and his surname.
He has lived in his flat overlooking the airports runway for nine years says the noise is at its worst on Sundays when he is trying to unwind.
T said: ‘It is very noisy and very loud. The worst time for the noise is Sunday. Its only then when you’re sat chilling that you really start to notice it.
‘The noise has increased a lot in the last two years. It has become much more constant than it was before.
‘They have said that they are going to replace all our windows so that we can’t hear it as much.
‘If you close all your windows and doors then you don’t hear it as much because the houses are very well insulated.
‘We live in England, and we don’t have the choice to move.
‘When you live here you get used to it. There is nothing we can do about it.
‘If I could move to an area like this without an airport I would, but it is not an option because of the housing situation in this country.
‘It is all about them making money. There is no one monitoring these people.’
Christina, who declined to give her surname, has been living in her flat for 12 years but is now trying to move due to the constant noise.
She said: ‘It is so noisy. Once the planes start, they don’t stop. We live right next to it and we don’t have double glazing.
‘My little granddaughter can’t bear the sound, she has to cover her ears. We are looking at moving. It is mostly because of the sound.
‘It is worst on Sundays, you have to keep pausing the TV every five seconds because you can’t hear anything.’
Others however see that there are benefits to living so close to an airport and that they expected the noise.
Hawa Sissilia Kebe, 31, says she has gotten used to the sound in her 15 years living there – but that it always shocks her guests.
She said: ‘I think after a while you just stop hearing them. It is almost part of our life.
‘We all have earplugs on our bedside tables in case it gets too loud.
‘It is mostly bad when we have guests come over because they are not used to it.’
Hawa Sissilia Kebe, 31, says she has gotten used to the sound in her 15 years living there – but that it always shocks her guests
A general view of homes under the flightpath of London City Airport. Residents have reported pausing their TVs and children covering their ears because the noise is too loud
An additional 2.5million people will be able to fly annually from London City airport
She added: ‘I don’t like when they do early flights, so if they increase that it would be a pain.
‘It has 100 per cent increased since we moved in. I think it is because there are so many more airlines.
‘The airport should be helping us. They always say that they are going to do more to fix things but they don’t.
‘The air pollution is a concern, but it is already so bad that I’m not sure more planes will make a difference at this point.
‘It is definitely handy to live next to it for holidays, but it is not good for my wallet.’
Ellie, 40, who declined to give her surname said: ‘If you choose to live next to an airport you can’t be bothered when it is loud.
‘It is quite noisy during commuter hours, Monday morning for example.
‘It doesn’t really bother me now and I doubt it will bother me when they increase them.
‘We knew what we were getting into moving here.’
MailOnline has approached London City airport for comment.
