Airport Commission rules out Estuary Airport – Heathrow Hub now the only politically realistic option

The Airport Commission has today rejected an Estuary Airport for London, as championed by the Mayor Boris Johnson.

This week we have seen that, sensing this defeat, Mr Johnson has subtly changed strategy. Forced to backpedal on his plan to close Heathrow, Mr Johnson said in his Telegraph column on 1st September that Heathrow can remain open as “an Orly-style airport.” He continues to rule out Gatwick expansion on the basis that it cannot provide the hub capacity Britain needs.

Now that his own plan has officially been ruled out we ask that Mr Johnson should back Heathrow Hub, the independent proposal short-listed by the Commission. Heathrow Hub envisages extending the existing runway, an innovative noise reduction programme and a transformative surface access plan.

Jock Lowe, the longest serving Concorde pilot and one of the promoters of the Heathrow Hub scheme said: “Now his own proposal has been ruled out, I hope Boris will see that our proposal as just the sort of creative idea which should appeal to him. We can deliver the new airport capacity required cost effectively. And by extending the existing runway we bring no new communities in West London into the noise footprint, so ours is now the most politically realistic plan still being considered by Airports Commission. We again respectfully ask Mr Johnson to get behind Heathrow Hub in delivering this important project for London and for the nation.”