Quote:"HS2 will definitely perform better than HS1. The simple reason is that the HS1 route stops off no where of interest in terms of business, additional transport (ie. airports/ports) or big residential towns and cities. (we can't really call Ebbsfleet and Ashford big areas)
HS2 will call at North London (Old Oak Common), and then spur off to LHR, then off to Birmingham and then possibly Manchester, Leeds and Scotland."
As proposed at present, it is another potential white elephant in the making: let's hope it is kicked into the "long grass" sooner rather than later. Let's waste no more public money on this nonsense.
Quote: "Quote:
Justine Greening, the transport secretary says she is: 'determined to find a long term solution to Britain's airport crisis'.
Long term does not mean a new airport in the Thames estuary, maybe it means one in the Thames valley, but there is still the problem of convincing pax and airlines to use it.
Allegedly, Justine Greening has also acknowledged that the country needs a four-runway airport. She is a politician, so unlikely to be thinking long term, so one would assume she means now or very soon indeed, not in 30 years time, and that she means LHR.
Quote: "In reality, my sources say that the government wants Silver-Boris to go ahead, but they are scared sh!tless of the political fallout.
Ha ha, that's very funny! Time to name your sources, Silver, otherwise this statement is meaningless.
Quote: "Standby for more updates, but I imagine we shall get an announcement to build Silver-Boris within a year."
Not a chance!
Quote: "But (and it's such a big but its bigger than Vordeman's) there is statutory method to compel commercial entities to move from one airport to another."
No, there is not!
Quote: "Airlines based at LHR have, over the years, made huge financial investments."
Precisely, so they will not move to the estuary.
Quote: "In order to close Heathrow, or at least down grade it, the compensation owed to those entities has to be factored into the Boris Island project. How will this happen?"
Yet another reason that it will not happen!
Quote: "Furthermore, the construction is a PFI so the burden of paying airlines to move will push the return on capital employed beyond economic reality."
No, there will be no public sector involvement, so it therefore cannot be a PFI/PPP deal.
Quote: "So can we consign Boris Island to the same backwater as Cliffe, Maplin Sands at Foulness and Cublington (Wing) purleeeze."
Yes, indeed we can.
Quote: "Whatever is decided it will be too little too late, except Emirates have the right idea - direct services from regional airports. Southend is next"
Of course more long haul out of regional airports is desirable, no one would argue with that, but it is not related to Heathrow expansion or capacity in the south east generally.
Quote: "Capacity is higher with continuous mixed mode at LHR, it's a quick win on growth but a complete loss of any quiet around Hounslow."
Continuous mixed mode squeezes in more capacity, but this will not address delays. Obviously, delays on takeoff and landing will increase.
Permanent mixed mode and/or all-night operations may eventually be a harder sell to those under the flightpath than a third/fourth rwy. Some MPs have recently come out in favour of a third and fourth rwy. Maybe they have the continuation of alternation in mind.
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 8th Jul 2012 at 22:29.