So now we are down to 3 options for the new London area runway
Sir Howard Davies's airport commission today rejected Boris Island but let the other 3 go through
So which option will win?
I believe the extension of the LHR North runway is least likely as it would be bound to slow down the current movement rate of the existing runway whilst it was being built
The new runway to the North of 28R will demolish up to 1000 houses, that is difficult politically
So I believe Gatwick will get the nod as its the cheapest and has the least environmental problems
Credible analysis if we're taking the soft option, but that would not resolve the problem of a lack of
hub capacity, so it would be a pointless decision.
Well I for one am delighted that the estuary airport has been rejected!
Me too, though it was expected.
I don't think the Thames Estuary siting is by any means dead and it's going to rear its head again in time to come.
I also happen to think it's the least bad alternative. The others are really only papering over the cracks.
It’s actually not. Not only for all the reasons listed many times, but also because LHR expansion is still needed as a stopgap between now and the 2050s. So we might as well just expand LHR and have done with it.
Sense has prevailed, with this one decision anyway.
Build an airport in an area surrounded by bird sanctuaries and prone to very thick fog in the autumn/winter (I know its not a problem for landing but it is for taxiing and parking and taking off again...collisions waiting to happen..)
What were they thinking of? Boris's vanity project I reckon.
I'm not sure why a second terminal at EGSS was not considered, there is still enough runway capacity albeit not during the morning and evening peak times, it needs some longhaul flights to take up the slow periods.
Gatwick at the moment is the best option but its "tucked away" down in Sussex and a pain for anyone north of London to get to.
IMHO they had a chance with the old Alconbury airbase a decade ago, perfect location, access from north, south, east and west (adjacent to the A1 and A14) and next to the east coast mainline railway as well! Simple to integrate into the existing airspace structure, long runway, lots of land to build a terminal, hangars, etc etc. Oh hang on though didn't John Major live a mile down the road?
A TRULY high-speed rail link directly to Manston with some new infrastructure to facilitate the flights there?
Both sites much too far away from London, 100+ mi. each (compared to 20 mi. for Heathrow), and who pays?
I hope they let LGW and LHR build one new runway each. Interesting to see if LGW can finance one if LHR have a green light too given that the majority of airlines, LCCs excepted, prefer LHR over LGW.
Ruled out some time ago.
Makes sense, ruled out or not. That which is ruled out can later be ruled in, and vice versa of course.
LGW won't get it, it's a stitch up for LHR to allow the "independent" commision to take the flack when the very tough and correct decision that the last Labour government rightly made is re-instated. No one in the business community except Gatwick Airport ltd is asking to expand LGW.
That’s my impression too, hope it’s the correct one and let's speed it up!
Four stage solution:
1) Realign Northolt (NHT) runway, extend and make parallel with LHRs (RWY No. 4) - easily done
2) Continue to build third runway north of current pair at LHR (RWY No. 3)
3) Connect NHT with LHR via underground road tunnel and overground maglev monorail
4) Reinstate Upper Heyford (RWY 5) as 'London West'/'London Oxford' - whatever, and integrate with LHR via improved M40/M25 links plus another maglev system running parallel with M40 - 20+ minutes run between the two on high speed monorail - longest runway, best for freight-24 hours, long haul etc. - half way to Midlands already, less London centric.
Five integrated runways for a lot less than $70 Billion - all the right side of London
This is a reheated "Heathwick", it’s was nonsense then, it’s nonsense now.
Who pays for (1), (3) and (4)?