Boris reaffirms his enthusiasm for an estuary airport, and sees it as a “moment for greatness”
Having got back into power, Boris has already stated that he will use his second term of office to push his estuary airport scheme. Urging the government to give the scheme its backing, he repeated his belief that the hub airport – dubbed Boris Island – had the potential to place London as the “economic powerhouse of Europe.” Boris wants a four-runway airport, which would be the biggest in the world, to be built in the Thames Estuary. He said: “The Government has got to seize the nettle. This is a moment for greatness. It is a moment for bravery” and “My gut feeling is that you could entrench London’s position as the economic powerhouse of Europe. You would solve all sorts of problems in transport infrastructure and regeneration if you went for a big, bold solution of the kind that Norman Foster was outlining.” There was a protest against the estuary airport plans outside City Hall.
Boris: Estuary airport plan is ‘moment for greatness’
by political editor Paul Francis
10.5.2012 (Kent Online)
Boris Johnson has renewed his call for a new Thames Estuary airport – indicating he will use his second term in office to continue to push the idea.
Urging the government to give the scheme its backing, he repeated his belief that the hub airport – dubbed Boris Island – had the potential to place London as the “economic powerhouse of Europe.”
His comments will dismay opponents of the scheme, who insist the idea is a non-starter and argue that it is not supported by the aviation industry.
In a newspaper interview, Mr Johnson called for a four-runway airport, which would be the biggest in the world, to be built in the Thames Estuary.
He said: “The Government has got to seize the nettle. This is a moment for greatness. It is a moment for bravery.
“I’ve said my piece on this. I can’t say any more. People know what I think, they know where I stand.”
Mr Johnson went on: “My gut feeling is that you could entrench London’s position as the economic powerhouse of Europe.
“You would solve all sorts of problems in transport infrastructure and regeneration if you went for a big, bold solution of the kind that Norman Foster was outlining.
“If the Coalition were to go for something like that it would be an incredible expression of confidence in UKPLC, in the dynamism of this country.
“I am not so naive as to think that that can be done without huge political opposition.”
He acknowledged the government was yet to be committed.
Mr Johnson said: “I would say that the Government is yet to be persuaded. That doesn’t mean they are incapable of being persuaded, but they are yet to be persuaded.”
The government has said it will consider the option in a review of aviation capacity
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2012/may/10/boris_johnson.aspx
Protesters demonstrate against Boris Island plans
11.5.2012 (Kent Online)
Protesters are set to descend on London’s City Hall today to campaign against a proposed airport in the Thames Estuary.
The groups, including representatives in Kent, are opposed to plans to build an enormous hub airport off Kent.
Originally mooted by London Mayor Boris Johnson, Boris Island was said to be a 20-year project costing anything up to £70billion.
Then, in November last year, world-renowned architect Lord Foster unveiled a more ambitious project on the Hoo Peninsula.
If built, it would more than double the capacity of Heathrow, handling up to 150 million passengers each year, 24 hours every day. It would have four runways, each 4km long.
But both projects have attracted huge criticism, including attacks from Medway Council, which claims the project is unviable, expensive and an environmental hazard.
Now demonstrators are set to gather at City Hall – just one day after Mr Johnson said he was committed to pushing through the scheme.
They claim the Mayor has championed the scheme in the face of opposition from local politicians and environmental campaigners and despite the Estuary being beyond London’s borders.
Campaigners from No Estuary Airport, the Campaign against Climate Change and AirportWatch will be joined at their protest by London Assembly members Jenny Jones, Caroline Pidgeon and Murad Qureshi.
Phil Thornhill from the Campaign against Climate Change said: “There is at the moment no way of sustaining air travel on a large scale without precipitating a potentially catastrophically high level of climate destabilising emissions which will wreck the future for everyone.
“Boris Island is not the answer. We need to think more deeply and imaginatively on how we organise transport systems for the future that are truly sustainable.”
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2012/may/11/protesters_demonstrate.aspx