Helping promote and improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the residents of East Greenwich

Air pollution on the River Thames

 

Greenwich Council has approved plans for a cruise liner terminal on the River Thames that will cause increased air pollution. The simple way forward is to provide clean onshore power to the cruise ships. Help clean up the river, London and other cruise ports.

 

A local resident of East Greenwich has challenged Greenwich Council’s decision of December 2015 in granting permission for an international cruise liner terminal on the Thames.  The grounds are that there has been inadequate assessment of the air pollution that will arise from ships and associated development.  Local residents have consistently called for clean onshore power supply to be provided to avoid dangerous emissions from ship’s diesel engines in a dense residential neighbourhood.

“Hotelling” cruise ships that run their auxiliary engines burn at least 700 litres of diesel an hour; the equivalent of 688 permanently running HGVs.  Cruise ships are planned to dock for the six summer months, when pollution in London is at its worst, and dirty diesel emissions will affect large populations on both banks of the river.  Ships auxiliary engines run on dirtier diesel than lorries. Also unlike lorries these ships do not treat or filter their emissions. 

                                                      

Bad Air in London

 

Disquiet about air pollution is widespread and increasing. At a national level Jim Fitzpatrick, MP for Poplar and Limehouse, expressed concern to a Government Select Committee that air pollution from the terminal would affect the whole of London. We also understand that mitigation measures such as onshore power will be obligatory by 2025 and asks what is the use of building a cruise port that may be obsolete in 7 years?  Both the Greenwich Society and the East Greenwich Residents Association (EGRA) wholeheartedly support this legal challenge that will hopefully result in a judicial review of the planning decision.  Your financial support is vital to help a brave citizen pursue this case against a planning authority.

 

Dr Paul Stookes of law firm, Richard Buxton Environmental & Public Law Solicitors, has explained that:

“the challenge to the planning decision is being defended by Greenwich Council and the developers and therefore the opportunity of an early resolution of the matter has gone.  The High Court will now proceed to a permission stage, and, if granted set a timetable for a final hearing.”

 

EGRA Chair, Dan Hayes, remarks that:

"We believe that the planning decision is short-sighted and ruinous to Londoners’ health.  Nearly 10,000 people die of air pollution in our capital each year and far more suffer ill-health because of bad air.  We have been constantly exhorted to use public transport, buy cleaner cars or cycle, only to have dirty developments thrust on our communities.  It’s time to call a halt on decision-making that makes air pollution much worse for Londoners, and the Cruise Terminal proposal, without on shore power, is a striking example of this.”

 

How You Can Help

 

We need a community contribution to support the proceedings.  We initially ask for £6,000 to begin the case.  A decision is critical to South East and East London, including Greenwich, which is one of the most polluted London boroughs. However, anyone who objects to air pollution should express support to help highlight their concern.  Frankly, local residents and communities are getting increasingly fed up with councils and government failing to properly consider the serious environmental impacts of their decisions.

 

Petition · Stop massive cruise ships belching toxic fumes near homes and schools #NoToxicPort · Change.org

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Judicial Review to Clean up Dirty Cruise Liner Terminal in London (crowdjustice.com)

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