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London City Airport: Mayor's office against weekend flights

Getty Images A plane takes off from London City AirportGetty Images
London City Airport has submitted plans to change weekend flying times

Plans to increase passenger numbers and change weekend flying times at London City Airport have been opposed by the London mayor's office.

Arrivals and departures are not allowed at the airport between 12:30 BST on Saturday and 12:30 on Sunday.

Airport management want to operate flights until 18:30 on a Saturday, under plans submitted to Newham Council.

Deputy mayor for planning, Jules Pipe, said it does not fit the London Plan.

The proposal for the airport also includes increasing passenger numbers from 6.5 million per year to 9 million and allowing up to 12 more arrivals between 18:30 and 19:30 in British Summer Time.

But it is not looking to increase its 111,000 annual flight limit.

BEN STANSALL/GETTY A plane waits on the tarmac at London City AirportBEN STANSALL/GETTY
Residents expressed concerns about rising noise levels in comments on the application

The scheme was described by the Greater London Authority (GLA) as "the most substantial proposed change to the airport's operations since it first opened 35 years ago".

More than 500 people have objected to the plans, including Lewisham Council.

In a letter from the council's environmental protection team, they argued that there was "no justification for ending the 24-hour ban" of flights on weekends.

Lewisham Council said it was concerned that changing the operating hours would result in more noise and air pollution for residents.

Flights taking off from City Airport travel over parts of east London including Bow and Poplar, Leyton, Leytonstone, Wanstead, Barkingside and Romford.

The GLA reported that the scheme would increases emissions of "NO2, PM10 and PM2.5", and reduce "the air quality benefits from schemes across the city, and particularly within the London Borough of Newham."

It added: "The mayor has declared that London must achieve net zero emissions by 2030. In order for London to achieve this, the aviation sector needs to play its part and not undermine collective efforts to rapidly decarbonise."

City Airport previously tried to extend Saturday flight times to 22:00, but backtracked after a public consultation last year.

The airport has said the changes would enable it to offer "more leisure routes" and bring in flights from "more distant locations".

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