Boris pushes for Thames Estuary airport plan

Boris pushes for Thames Estuary airport plan Boris pushes for Thames Estuary airport plan

LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has stepped up his campaign for a new Thames Estuary airport.

Mr Johnson spoke at the Tory party conference in Birmingham.

He has been an enthusiastic backer of a Thames Estuary hub airport, to avoid expanding Heathrow airport.

Yesterday, he used the conference to reiterate his opposition to any attempt to build a third runway at Heathrow, telling the crowd the only options were to build in the Thames estuary or find a "long-term solution" at Stansted.

"I suggest to my friends in government and everyone here who thinks that's the answer, move off that idea. It is not going to happen. We need a better solution."

Comments(23)

Brunning999 says...
8:40am Tue 9 Oct 12

If we do not go forward we go backwards.

GentleGiant says...
9:03am Tue 9 Oct 12

Would be great, sadly too many people would object to it being close to them.

However the same people will gladly drive to Heathrow or Gatwick and fly from there.

aduksquack says...
9:13am Tue 9 Oct 12

If BoJo the Clown wants an airport he build it in London. He's not mayor of Essex or Kent, so he can f*ck off.

Nebs says...
9:42am Tue 9 Oct 12

It's a great idea, 20 years non stop employment for all in the building industry, and the chance of a bridge from Canvey to Kent.

aduksquack says...
10:01am Tue 9 Oct 12

Nebs wrote:
It's a great idea, 20 years non stop employment for all in the building industry, and the chance of a bridge from Canvey to Kent.
Only if those builders live in Kent. And only if you want a new motorway - and all the associated congestion and pollution - where the A130 used to be.

For Essex it means the closure of Southend airport, thousands of jobs lost, not just at the airport but the companies and vendors who take their business from airport trade. It means Stobart leaving Southend. It means the death of Southend's tourism business because no-one wants to go to a seaside that looks at an airport.

So if you want all that then yes, an estuary airport is a brilliant idea. For Kent.

SARFENDMAN says...
10:38am Tue 9 Oct 12

Cheap option I see Boris prefers. So much for concern with the environment. Bird strikes come to mind as already highlighted locally by Easyjet. Thought the expansion of smaller airports like Southend were the preferred way forward. The 2nd runway at Stansted is more likely in reality. Usual muddled Tory conflictive thinking on transport.

eurodoomed says...
11:55am Tue 9 Oct 12

This is just posturing, as no one in their right mind supports an estuary airport. It would be an environmental catastrophe the like of which Britain has never seen before, and would blow apart Cameron's claim to be the greenest government ever.

In addition, how could it possibly be afforded? It is not just the airport, but the road and rail links to London which would be phenomenally expensive and complicated given how built up Kent and Essex are.

As for Stansted, its usage is actually falling as the large airlines won't use it.

Obvious answers are a third runway at Heathrow, and/or use of RAF Northolt, a second runway at Gatwick, with a fast rail link between the two, and if necessary, which I doubt, modest expansion at Stansted and Luton.

perini says...
12:07pm Tue 9 Oct 12

eurodoomed wrote:
This is just posturing, as no one in their right mind supports an estuary airport. It would be an environmental catastrophe the like of which Britain has never seen before, and would blow apart Cameron's claim to be the greenest government ever. In addition, how could it possibly be afforded? It is not just the airport, but the road and rail links to London which would be phenomenally expensive and complicated given how built up Kent and Essex are. As for Stansted, its usage is actually falling as the large airlines won't use it. Obvious answers are a third runway at Heathrow, and/or use of RAF Northolt, a second runway at Gatwick, with a fast rail link between the two, and if necessary, which I doubt, modest expansion at Stansted and Luton.
Please explain why won't the large air-lines use Stansted? I would have thought that with a long run way it would be ideal - but apparantly not!

southendshrimper says...
12:08pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Second runway at Southend,

** PLEASE NOTE SAEN & JAYMAN **
This is a joke, you know ha ha

eurodoomed says...
12:49pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Boris looks like Myra Hindley in the Echo's picture. He is certainly deranged in believing in an estuary airport.

Eric Whim says...
12:50pm Tue 9 Oct 12

flatten the old oil refinery, boot out the gas terminal, flatten and tarmac Canvey and Boris is yer uncle.....

Benfleet Station for the passengers arriving by rail. Canvey Way from Sadlers Farm as the road in and out.

Sorted.

Nebs says...
1:39pm Tue 9 Oct 12

southendshrimper wrote:
Second runway at Southend,

** PLEASE NOTE SAEN & JAYMAN **
This is a joke, you know ha ha
They could just extend the current runway a bit more, so as we can have proper big planes that fly to anywhere in the world.

jayman says...
1:46pm Tue 9 Oct 12

i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.

jayman says...
1:49pm Tue 9 Oct 12

(empty 'fights') should have been flights. oops

aduksquack says...
2:01pm Tue 9 Oct 12

jayman wrote:
i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.
How will Southend benefit? There's a bloody great river in between us and where this fictitious airport would be.

jayman says...
2:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12

aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.
How will Southend benefit? There's a bloody great river in between us and where this fictitious airport would be.
Here's the science bit!

at some point, at some stage. the little people flying on the big plane will need to come to the green land with all the buildings on it..

this will be made possible by a tunnel or bridge or both. the bridge will also be a big gate that will stop all the floody water from making everyone very wet..

jayman says...
2:24pm Tue 9 Oct 12

and if the boffin's are very clever they may even see the potential of tidal energy incorporated in a tidal barrier from the fast flowing Thames tides. this would help carbon offset the impact of the airport.

Joe Wildman says...
2:48pm Tue 9 Oct 12

The big issue is and it is a very BIG issue is the fact that British Airways who make up over 50% of Heathrow movements have said that they would not use it. BAA are not going to want to loose that number of movements.

As has been said before, farm the flights out, no domestic flights at Heathrow instead send them to an upgraded RAF Northolt a very much under used airport, Southend could take some as could an upgraded Biggin HIll, slash the number of short haul Europian flight at Heathrow with Stansted & Gatwick picking them up, hi speed trains to Gatwick & Stansted.

What about the sea birds, sea fog, Foulness and current wind farms and the new London Array under constructuin all issues to a new airport in the outer Thames Estuary, the proposal opposite Southend on the Isle of Grain has the same propblems (apart from the wind farms & Foulness) however the issue of the Richard Montgomery again pops up as a rather large blip!

Would the pople who work at Haethrow want to travel all the way down here? what about the job lesses at Heathrow and its local area? and WTF had Essex and Kent got to do with BoJo.

The only thing that makes sence in BoJo's plans to dominate the whole of the Southeast is a new runway at Stansted.

aduksquack says...
4:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12

jayman wrote:
aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.
How will Southend benefit? There's a bloody great river in between us and where this fictitious airport would be.
Here's the science bit!

at some point, at some stage. the little people flying on the big plane will need to come to the green land with all the buildings on it..

this will be made possible by a tunnel or bridge or both. the bridge will also be a big gate that will stop all the floody water from making everyone very wet..
Here's the geography bit: the airport is proposed for the Kent side of the estuary. Why build bridges and tunnels to Essex when all they would have to do is link up with the much closer A2(M)?

jayman says...
5:55pm Tue 9 Oct 12

aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.
How will Southend benefit? There's a bloody great river in between us and where this fictitious airport would be.
Here's the science bit!

at some point, at some stage. the little people flying on the big plane will need to come to the green land with all the buildings on it..

this will be made possible by a tunnel or bridge or both. the bridge will also be a big gate that will stop all the floody water from making everyone very wet..
Here's the geography bit: the airport is proposed for the Kent side of the estuary. Why build bridges and tunnels to Essex when all they would have to do is link up with the much closer A2(M)?
there are three different plans for a potential airport in the estuary. the latest plan is for a floating airport with tunnel connections to kent and Southend. the second is for a bridged island airport connected to shoebury and Kent. the third is for the isle of grain.

perini says...
8:28pm Tue 9 Oct 12

jayman wrote:
aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
aduksquack wrote:
jayman wrote:
i see that the echo really oppose this idea, 'just look at the picture of Boris above'

bores is the ONLY Tory who I have time for.

this airport is going to happen, I think its the most sensible option on the table for long term transport strategy. Southend and Kent could benefit from massive Infrastructure enhancement to road and rail connections and boost in trade. if Southend airport played its cards right then it could be used to service the aircraft 'empty fights (less noise)'

I have no idea why SBC and the Echo oppose it. it could be a boost that the south east of England and the national economy needs.

we cant keep the pressure on clapped out transport links and gridlocked roads any longer.

a massive project like this is the proven way of stimulating an economy.
How will Southend benefit? There's a bloody great river in between us and where this fictitious airport would be.
Here's the science bit!

at some point, at some stage. the little people flying on the big plane will need to come to the green land with all the buildings on it..

this will be made possible by a tunnel or bridge or both. the bridge will also be a big gate that will stop all the floody water from making everyone very wet..
Here's the geography bit: the airport is proposed for the Kent side of the estuary. Why build bridges and tunnels to Essex when all they would have to do is link up with the much closer A2(M)?
there are three different plans for a potential airport in the estuary. the latest plan is for a floating airport with tunnel connections to kent and Southend. the second is for a bridged island airport connected to shoebury and Kent. the third is for the isle of grain.
So no locations within Boris's jurisdiction then - best he keeps his snout out where it's not wanted!

LadyOr says...
11:04pm Wed 10 Oct 12

Boris has been a success in London for example the cycle scheme is excellent.... One thing is certain we need another bridge or tunnel between Essex and Kent as the M25 is outdated and congested. London needs a decent airport that can expand in the future so the Thames estuary airport makes sense considering a new £multi-million sea port has opened making import / export big business for the UK to supply Europe.

Shame some MP's are too inept to understand this.....?

NEW THAMES AIRPORT PLS

aduksquack says...
1:09pm Sat 13 Oct 12

LadyOr wrote:
Boris has been a success in London for example the cycle scheme is excellent.... One thing is certain we need another bridge or tunnel between Essex and Kent as the M25 is outdated and congested. London needs a decent airport that can expand in the future so the Thames estuary airport makes sense considering a new £multi-million sea port has opened making import / export big business for the UK to supply Europe.

Shame some MP's are too inept to understand this.....?

NEW THAMES AIRPORT PLS
The cycle scheme was instigated by Ken Livingstone, and only completed after the mayoral elections. BoJo simply took undeserved credit for it.

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