HZ 123
You're not related to that stalwart old anti-Southend Airport campaigner, the late Bill Budge are you?.
I'm sorry, but it's complete rubbish to say that most Southend residents don't know the airport exists and couldn't care less about it. There is more local enthusiasm for the airport now than at any time I can remember - mainly because Joe Public is more used to flying than ever before and wants his departure point to be as local as possible.
I must remember to contact you the next time I want to drive to STN, LTN or LGW, so that you can tell me if 'today' is a good day or not for the journey. If you were to allow just 40 minutes from leaving home in Southend to walking into the terminal at STN you wouldn't catch many flights as you well know.
There are plenty of valid arguments to be made against the likelihood of SEN's plans reaching fruition without resorting to myth and inaccuracy.
As you must surely know, there already IS the temporary closure of Eastwoodbury Lane by lights/barriers for every public transport movement and I'm certainly not saying that it's definitely possible to increase the TODA on 24: all I am saying is that I would like to think that every avenue has been explored fully before accepting that nothing can be done.