Well, well, well. Here we go again! After the fiasco of waiting for T5 to get approval at LHR, can you imagine just how long this little lot will take to sort out? Was this not initially raised years (decades?) ago when various options were put up? Had it been sorted then it would have been quite a feat. Since then, how many sites have had housing estates etc put up which now further restricts development potential? Two new runways at LGW? You'll need an uplift of fuel by the time you have taxied to the nearest place where you could put another runway. Where the third runway would go is beyond me. It would be closer to LHR than LGW! How much more of a problem is this issue today since successive Governments have left it in the air for so long?
Now, our friends across in France seem to have got their act sorted when it comes to Transport planning. Maybe the Brits should take a leaf out of their book. No messing - just get it sorted!!!! But here in Blighty, oh no! Endless rounds of reviews, Inquiries, NIMBY-pandering etc. And the end result is too little, too late. Perhaps, rather than T5, the wider runway issue should have been addressed and a shift away from LHR could have been intiated - based on economic and logistics I hasten to add, rather than the anti-LHR lobby. All we will end up with is another hub-type airport the way things are going. Now, I am not a transport strategist but like to think I have half a brain cell to my name (no witty comments from the peanut gallery please) and it just seems to make sense to have made a step change a while ago rather than this "pick at this, now pick at that" approach. But that is UK plc through and through.
Now, I could start on the state of the UK railways!!!! But one rant from H 'n' H is enough for my fellow PPRuNers. All I can say is "Here we go again". And, no, H 'n' H is definitely not going to hold his breath on this one!
H 'n' H toddles off to darkened room to calm down again! <img src="mad.gif" border="0">
PS Mmmmm, a good rant makes you feel loads better!
[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Hot 'n' High ]</p>