London City Airport (LCY) is committed to building a sustainable future not only for the airport, but for the wider aviation industry. It has a stated aim to become the UK’s most sustainable airport and, to achieve that, it has set a goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 without using carbon off-setting. In 2019 the airport reached a significant milestone in its work, impressively being rated as carbon neutral by the respected Airport Carbon Accreditation programme which recognised LCY’s work to manage, reduce and offset carbon emissions from its own business operations.
While addressing the impact of its own operations, London City Airport is also working with industry partners like airlines, manufacturers, and policy makers to create an eco-system of collaboration that accelerates progress across the industry. Indeed, the airport has a strong track-record of delivering against its comprehensive environmental and operational controls. In 2019, LCY was once again the leading UK airport for public transport use by passengers. The airport also improved its cycling facilities, implemented a car share scheme for staff that saved around 5,000kg of CO2 in its first year, and launched a £10,000 competition to find a sustainable alternative to plastic security bags.
Minimising noise pollution is also a priority, with London City Airport’s controls being amongst the tightest of any European airport. Despite handling record numbers of passengers and flights, the airport has continued to operate within all of its noise controls. It has also taken steps to reduce disruption from construction works, for instance by using barges to move equipment by water which removed 1,583 heavy goods vehicles from local roads. Additionally, the airport installed noise mitigation including new windows and doors in over 500 local residential properties to protect against the impact of night time construction work.
Based in Newham, one of the capital’s most diverse boroughs, City Airport is London’s most central airport. It is a major part of the local economy and is one of the largest private employers in Newham. Recognised by the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard, the airport pays employees at least the London Living Wage and recruits locally. Last year, 28 percent of new employees came from Newham while 66 percent live within five miles of the airport.
The role of a long-term and significant contributor to the community is one that the airport embraces. To help raise aspirations and prepare local people for work, London City Airport runs a number of educational programmes to inspire hundreds of local students and create opportunities for them in the world of aviation. In 2019, its Community Fund donated over £75,000 to 30 good causes from the borough and the surrounding areas and will do the same in 2020.
Many local people also take advantage of flights from the airport to visit family and friends, experience new places and cultures, or to travel for business. In 2019, over 377,000 people from Newham flew from City Airport – a 7.9% increase on the previous year – while over 1.25 million more passengers came from seven other neighbouring East London boroughs.
London City Airport’s popularity is based on its speed and convenience, allowing travellers to get through the airport in a matter of minutes and reach the capital directly in as little as 20 minutes. This proposition helped it attract a record 5.1 million passengers in 2019, flying to 45 destinations across the UK, Europe and the United States. Of course, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on passenger numbers and flights everywhere and LCY is no exception. However, the airport has taken significant steps to make sure people can continue to have safe, careful and speedy journeys and has a plan in place to recover over the coming months and years.
Estuary Envoy, Kate Willard OBE, commented: “We are proud to home such an iconic business in the Thames Estuary that provides a gateway for London and the UK to the rest of world. It is brilliant to see such a large business give back to its community just as much as it gains, by creating jobs, providing opportunities and education, and striving to be an asset, not a burden, to the local residents. Moreover, their dedication to good green growth is unwavering, innovative and completely embedded in everything they do.”
To find out more visit londoncityairport.com
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