Mayor of London Seeks To Increase The UK's Airport Capacity

Proving to be a subject that will always be with us until a firm decision has been made, the vexed question of increasing the UK’s airport capacity flew back into the public gaze again this week. To the forefront once again was the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson who has put forward three proposals.

Airport space is at a premium

Taking the view that the further development of Heathrow would, in his words be “crackers”,  his thoughts included a four-runway hub on an artificial island in the Thames Estuary, previously dubbed Boris Island. He also proposed a hub on the Isle of Grain in Kent or expanding Stansted Airport
By the 19th July, the three proposals will have been passed over to the Davies Aviation Commission. Chaired by Sir Howard Davies, this is an independent Commission tasked with identifying and recommending to government options for maintaining this country’s status as an international hub for aviation.

Mr. Johnson listed the advantages of each proposal as follows:-
•    Thames Estuary: Artificial island would remove problems of noise pollution.
•    The Isle of Grain: Close enough to London to provide fast access by public transport, yet take-off  and landing over water would reduce impact on as small a population as possible.
•    Stansted airport: Building on existing infrastructure at Stansted would have none of the environmental or wildlife issues that would need to be overcome in the estuary.

Mr Johnson said: "Ambitious cities all over the world are already stealing a march on us and putting themselves in a position to eat London's breakfast, lunch and dinner by constructing mega airports.  For London and the wider UK to remain competitive we have to build an airport capable of emulating that scale of growth."

Friends of the Earth remained sceptical about the island in the Thames Estuary ever being built, a view echoed by other independent commentators. Other local figures seemed to be taking equally dismal views. Leader of Medway Council Rodney Chambers said: "Boris has failed to listen to the huge number of people who have said that placing an airport in North Kent, on or near the Thames Estuary, is a complete non-starter.  "There are no roads or rail lines there to support an airport that would carry up to 150 million passengers a year, and putting these in place would cost the taxpayer tens of billions of pounds - a needless waste of money."

The Davies aviation commission will consider a number of options to maintain the country's status as an international hub for aviation and will report back in 2015. Also,  later this year, it will also recommend what improvements can be undertaken to improve the use of existing runway capacity for the next five years.

A decision on whether to support any of the recommendations contained in the final report will be taken by the government.