'Boris Island' airport discussion - merged posts

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

All the usual guff about 'possible remote check in'.   How come every time they've tried that so far, e.g. at Paddington or Victoria, it has always been abandoned later on.   Is that because the complexities of modern security and biometric passport checks etc don't really work for remote locations?

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Boris Island airport plan 'to be rejected'


An artist's impression of the airport proposal on the Isle of Grain in the Thames Estuary

A plan for an island airport in the Thames estuary will be rejected, the BBC understands.

In response, an adviser to London mayor Boris Johnson, Daniel Moylan, said if true, it is "sadly short-sighted".

Known as "Boris Island" because of Mr Johnson's backing, it was one option being considered by the Airports Commission on how to expand airport capacity in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

An official announcement is expected on Tuesday.

"Airports policy has been stalled for nearly five decades, ricocheting like a billiard ball between Heathrow and Gatwick," said Mr Moylan, aviation adviser to Mr Johnson. "We have only one opportunity to break out of that but it seems the Commission has taken us back to the same old failed choice."

He added that the final decision would rest with the government. "The key question now is whether the Airports Commission will play much of a role," he continued.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Whitehall sources had confirmed the "Boris Island" plan would be ruled out.


The airport plans on the Isle of Grain were designed by Lord Foster's architectural firm

It would have led to the development of a four-runway airport on the Isle of Grain in the Thames Estuary.

The commission, led by Sir Howard Davies, was set up by the government to consider ways of expanding the UK's airport capacity. Its final report is expected next summer, after the general election.

The decision to eliminate Boris Island as an option would leave the commission with three alternatives: Adding a third runway at Heathrow, lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow, and a new runway at Gatwick.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Boris Johnson refloats Thames Estuary airport plan

Boris Johnson has refloated the idea of an island airport as an alternative to a third runway at Heathrow.

Plans to create a hub airport in the Thames Estuary were rejected by the Airports Commission (AC) in 2014.

In a report entitled Landing The Right Airport, the mayor says a four-runway airport east of London is the only way to secure enough capacity.

Opponents previously described "Boris Island" as "financially, geographically and environmentally wrong".

"If we are to secure the connectivity we need to support our future growth and prosperity and do so without dire impacts on public health - then we must do better than Heathrow," Mr Johnson said.

Building an airport at one of two locations in the Thames Estuary or expanding Stansted in Essex "away from populated areas" was the "only credible solution", according to the Mayor of London.

In his forward to the 78-page document, he added: "Each could accommodate the four-runway hub that London and the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) needs. Our analysis predicts that they would offer around double the number of long haul and domestic destinations served by Heathrow today, while exposing 95% fewer people to significant aircraft noise. A four-runway hub to the east of London, rather than jarring with the growth of London will support it, catalysing regeneration and housing to the east."

In July, the AC recommended building a new runway at Heathrow rather than providing a second runway at Gatwick. But it did not completely rule out another runway at Gatwick or doubling an existing runway at Heathrow.


Plans for the third runway include a new terminal and road layout

The government has delayed its decision on airport expansion in the South East until the summer at the earliest, saying more work needed to be done on the potential environmental impact.

In September 2014, Sir Howard Davies, chairman of the commission, said the cost, economic disruption and environmental issues made the Thames Estuary airport plan unviable.

Daniel Moylan, aviation adviser to Mr Johnson, said a hub airport to the east of London would cost ^20bn to ^25bn - with an extra ^25bn required to building road and rail connections.

Constructing a third runway at Heathrow is estimated to cost ^18.6bn, but Mr Moylan said that did not take into account the amount of money needed on surface access and measures to stop congestion, which the new report claims could be as high as ^20bn.