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£40bn Boris island airport won’t get off the ground, say ministers
6 Oct 2010Boris Johnson's plan for an airport in the Thames Estuary suffered a fresh blow today after senior ministers ruled it out on cost grounds.
Senior sources at the Department for Transport suggested that unless an “innovative model” to finance the £40 billion scheme was found it was “unlikely” to go ahead.
Aviation experts have also warned that the flight paths of a major airport to the east of the capital could clash with those serving Luton, Stansted and even Schiphol airport in Amsterdam.
They rubbished suggestions the airport, dubbed “Boris Island”, would end noisy flights over London, saying inbound and outbound aircraft would still have to travel over the capital.
Hopes that Heathrow could be relocated to an island were revived this week after reports that Chancellor George Osborne had agreed to consider detailed studies on the scheme. But Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is understood to be sceptical. Any proposal seen by the Treasury would have to cross his desk first.
Sources raised doubts about the cost as every penny of transport spending is being fought over.
A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Services said: “Airspace is as constrained as ground infrastructure in south-east England, and its consideration is vitally important in assessing an estuary airport.”
A study for the Mayor by Sir David King, the government's former chief scientist, found that the airport was a realistic long-term option but would be a “huge feat” to build.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “The Mayor believes it is in the long-term interests of London and the South-East region to consider an airport in the Thames Estuary.”
Reader views (5)
Alongside the RSPB, Friends of the North Kent Marshes are wholly opposed to the construction of an airport anywhere in the Thames Estuary because of the immense damage it would cause to the area's internationally important wildlife and the wider environment.The whole issue was exhaustively investigated between 2002 and 2005 in the Government's Aviation White Paper. ALL the key players, including the aviation industry, contributed. The idea of an airport in the Thames Estuary was conclusively ruled out and upheld by the High Court. In addition to the unprecedented environmental damage and the resulting massive legal implications, the investigation found that an estuary airport did not make sense economically, would not meet the requirements of the aviation industry and presented a significantly higher risk of 'bird strike' than at any other major airport in the UK.
It would potentially be the single biggest piece of environmental vandalism ever perpetrated in the UK
- Friends of the North Kent Marshes, Rochester, 07/10/2010 16:57
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Medway Council, along with Kent County Council and the RSPB, are running a campaign against the Mayor of London's 'pie in the sky' Thames Estuary airport plan.
- John Staples, Medway, 06/10/2010 16:00
John,
Could you tell me where I can find a petition in favour of the new airport?
- Stephen C, London, 06/10/2010 20:04
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"I thought all the funds were coming from soverign wealth funds".
No, I think you'll find that was the result of the gentleman in the Boris administration who's pushing the scheme for his own reasons blowing smoke up a journalist. There's never been any money for this, but an awful lot of spin and waffle.
Also, it's demonstrated again that Boris is a coward who can't say no to people and ends up wasting everyone's time.
- Tom, London, UK, 06/10/2010 17:10
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Medway Council, along with Kent County Council and the RSPB, are running a campaign against the Mayor of London's 'pie in the sky' Thames Estuary airport plan. You can sign our petition at www.stopestuaryairport.co.uk.
- John Staples, Medway, 06/10/2010 16:00
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I thought all the funds were coming from soverign wealth funds so do not understand this report.
- christian, London, 06/10/2010 14:01
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