Stop the Estuary Airport

A report showing a Thames Estuary airport would be too far from London, too close to a major liquid natural gas port and could lead to the need for a new railway station in the capital has been unanimously backed by councillors.

The report, Thames Estuary Airport – Feasibility Review, was agreed by all members of Medway Council at a meeting of Full Council on Thursday, 14 January.

It looks at the Mayor of London’s feasibility study into his pie in the sky scheme and points out major areas where the airport plan fails.

For instance, it shows that the airport, which the Mayor of London wants to build as a replacement to Heathrow, would be some 60 miles from London.

This would be like moving Manchester’s airport to Leeds, Birmingham’s runway to Milton Keynes or picking up the Bristol International Airport and placing it on the other side of Cardiff.

In addition to this, an estuary airport would be in an area where aircraft would be 12 times more at risk of bird strike than at any other major UK airport and would be close to Thamesport – where ships unload their cargoes of Liquid Natural Gas.

The report, which was backed by every councillor from each group, also points out that while a new high-speed rail service would need to be built, a constraint to this would be St Pancras, where there is little space for more domestic or international services to be added.

This could lead to the need for a new train station in central London – significantly adding to the estimated £40 billion cost of the estuary airport.

The report points out that the airport plan would cause environmental destruction by causing harm to Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other areas used by hundreds of thousands of migrating birds annually.

And it states that a new airport would encourage more air travel and that the construction of the major roads and rail links needed would cause significant harm to Medway’s landscape.

The report adds that there would be increased pressure for more development in the area and points out that the mayor’s feasibility study does not show how people in Medway would get to the airport without going by train via Ebbsfleet.

If the airport plan did ever get off the ground, this oversight would lead to a significant increase in the number of local car journeys in Medway and north Kent ,  adding to congestion and pollution.

In addition to all these factors, the report points out that Kent International Airport at Manston has one of the longest runways in Europe, which could be connected to the already existing high speed train service for a fraction of the price.

Medway’s councillors have now asked the council’s officers to contact Douglas Oakervee, the author of the Mayor of London’s feasibility study, to advise him that any justification for a new airport should only be considered once detailed studies of the transport infrastructure to London and other areas had taken place.

They also want Mr Oakervee to clarify the routes of road and rail links detailed in his report.

Councillors have asked officers to draw to Mr Oakervee’s attention the presence of the Liquid Natural Gas import facilities at nearby Thamesport

The report follows news that the leaders of all of Medway Council’s groups are to go to London’s City Hall to meet Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse in March so that they can explain to him why an airport should not be built in the estuary.

And it comes after the launch of a campaign and an online petition by Medway Council, Kent County Council and the RSPB, which has been signed by nearly 1,500 people. To sign the petition go to www.stopestuaryairport.co.uk

Rodney Chambers, the Leader of Medway Council, said: “I am pleased that all councillors in Medway are united in their decision to stop the Mayor of London’s plans to build an airport in the Thames Estuary.

“This report shows exactly what we already knew – that these plans for an estuary airport are completely pie in the sky.

“His feasibility study has not taken into account so many things such as the distance it would be from London and whether passengers or airlines would actually want this.

“It has disregarded the fact that huge quantities of Liquid Natural Gas are imported near to the proposed airport site everyday and only a very arbitrary study of the transport links needed has been undertaken.

“I urge as many people as possible to sign our petition at www.stopestuaryairport.co.uk and help us stop this unnecessary and ill-thought out airport plan.”

Notes to Editors:

Medway Council’s report, Thames Estuary Airport – Feasibility Revi, can be found at http://www.medway.gov.uk/f20100114r-3.pdf