Thursday, November 27, 2008

City Airport Security: Costs Taxpayers £24 Million since 2004


As seen on the Newham Recorder website: City Airport costs to London Taxpayers, yet more freeloading by London City airport:

THE Metropolitan Police Service has spent £24 million policing London City Airport in Silvertown over the past five years, it has emerged.

The figure came to light after London Assembly Green Party member Jenny Jones tabled a question on the cost. Mayor of London Boris Johnson's written response detailed the money spent on policing in each of the last five financial years.
In 2004/05 it was £2 million, £5.5 million in 2005/06, £5.3 million in 2006/07, £5.5 million in 2007/08 and £5.6 million for the current financial year.

However, these figures seem relatively small when compared to the amount the MPS spends on policing Heathrow. Over the last five years the force has spent £196 million on the west London airport, with a £43.4 million outlay in the current financial year.
But, unlike London City Airport, [LCA let taxpayers pay 100% of their security costs] the MPS recovers around 70 per cent of what it spends every year from Heathrow.

Full story by Larry Ferguson in this week's Recorder
Below is the cost to all tax payers for Heathrow & London City Airport

HEATHROW
Passengers 68,066,028
Security £43,400,000
Minus Rebate 70% £30,380,000
Total Taxpayer Cost - £13,020,000
£0.19p - Average Security Cost Per Passenger.

London City Airport
Passengers 2,904,013
Security £5,500,000
Minus Rebate 0
Total Taxpayer Cost - £5,500,000
£1.89p - Average Security Cost Per Passenger.
So per passenger London Airport costs £1.70 more. Thats 1000% more!!!