A report by MPs has said the government should reject the “Boris Island” Thames Estuary airport plan and expand Heathrow instead.
Louise Ellman, chair of the House of Commons Transport Committee, said: “Research we commissioned made plain that building an entirely new hub airport east of London could not be done without huge public investment in new ground transport infrastructure.”
The Aviation Strategy report published this morning warned that the proposed new airport could mean the closure of Heathrow airport, and could harm wildlife in the estuary.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has campaigned for a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary. He believes the capital needs a new airport and that the east is the only feasible location.
Ellman added: “We conclude that a third runway at Heathrow is necessary, but also suggest that a four-runway proposal may have merit, especially if expanding to locate two new runways westwards from the current site could curb the noise experienced by people affected under the flight path.”
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
