Estuary airport ‘will double the number of flights over London’

Common sight: Campaigners say the number of planes over London will double if the Estuary Airport gets the go ahead
12 April 2012

Plans for an airport in the Thames estuary which could operate 24 hours a day have been attacked by campaigners, who claim it would lead to one million flights over London each year.

Opponents spoke out after it was revealed that City Hall is looking at proposals for the £14 billion airport, which would feature a high-speed rail link to the Channel Tunnel.

It would be cheaper and less complex than the £40 billion estuary plan backed by Mayor Boris Johnson and dubbed "Boris Island". The site for the latest proposal is on the Hoo peninsula, a wild bird reserve near Gravesend.

Backers claim the noise pollution would only affect 56,000 residents, rather than the current three million under the Heathrow flight path.

The site, planned for 2025, would be open around the clock in a bid to increase flight capacity without expanding Heathrow — which could be phased out as more airlines and passengers transfer to Kent. A rail link would connect the airport via a spur to St Pancras, using the Channel Tunnel route.

The scheme by John Olsen, the British ex-head of Cathay Pacific, proposes flights will use airspace over the North Sea. "Relatively few people would be affected by noise and the cost would be low because there is already excellent infrastructure in the area," he said.

But Hacan, the group that led the fight against a third Heathrow runway, fears the increased number of flights would leave air traffic controllers no option but to use the skies over London.

They claim that if the airport was allowed to operate 24 hours a day it could double the number of planes above the capital. Chairman John Stewart said: "This site could be the equivalent of a third and fourth runway and double the 470,000 annual flights at Heathrow." His group is also concerned at the volume of flights in combination with traffic from City Airport.

Two reserves run by the RSPB at the Hoo site are home to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, including the rare avocet. Mr Olsen's plan would see them relocated to man-made marshland on the other side of the estuary.

Mr Olsen, who is from Wimbledon, said: "The crowded skies are crowded now anyway, and they are much more crowded now than if you build this airport.

"We can virtually eliminate most of the traffic going around in circles, because this will be 24 hours a days.

"Capacity won't double, it will be about 50 per cent better than Heathrow, spread over three active runways and it will be much more efficient airport.

"You are also saving about 20 minutes flying time because of the estuary location, so you won't have to fly around or across London.

He added: "If you eliminate all the intermediate proposals and suggestions, by a process of elimination, you arrive at one place - the Hoo Peninsula in Kent.

"It's still a third of the price of Boris Johnson's project. It will be quieter with less disruption and less noise."

Mr Olsen dismissed the campaigners' concerns, saying his plan will "eliminate" the need for flights over the city.

Councillor Rodney Chambers, leader of Medway Council, said: "I am furious that this unwelcome proposal to concrete over the Hoo Peninsula to create an international airport is back on the table.

"The solution to increasing airport capacity in the south east needs to involve using capacity nationally not destroying a precious greenfield site in the south east.

"I call on the coalition government to unequivocally rule out building an airport on the Hoo Peninsula."

The proposal is among options being studied by Transport for London's deputy chairman Daniel Moylan. He said: "Boris believes that there is a pressing need for new runway capacity and welcomes a debate on where it should be located."

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