Aviation chief refuses to rule out Boris Island airport plan

 
A mock-up of the Thames airport which was today branded a “costly environmental disaster”
16 January 2014

The Government’s aviation commissioner today launched a six-month study into the “Boris island” airport plan to ensure a decision on its fate would “not be vulnerable to challenge”.

Sir Howard Davies announced the plan days after the Mayor wrote to him to demand his proposal for an airport in the Thames Estuary remained on a level playing field with plans to expand Gatwick or Heathrow.

Speaking for the first time since publishing his shortlist last month – in which the Estuary plan was not included but marked for further consideration – Sir Howard said he was confident his work would not be buried by politicians after next year’s general election. He told the Runways UK conference on London today: “My sense is that the appreciation of the need to do something is growing, but that’s just my sense.

“The reaction to the interim report was that a few people said, ‘This is nonsense, you don’t need to do anything’, but they were only a few. I think there is a realisation that there will be a big decision. What that decision is depends on the complexion of the House of Commons in May 2015.”

He said a decision on whether to include Mr Johnson’s plan will be made in the early autumn and that the commission will conduct its own study.

He added: “We need to ensure all decisions we make are defensible and soundly based.”

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