MPs call for airport meeting with Cameron
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Six Conservative MPs representing the
north Kent constituencies have demanded an urgent meeting with
the Prime Minister to discuss the proposed Thames Estuary
airport.
They wrote today to David Cameron after the government said it
was going to consult on the plan within weeks.
The MPs are Gareth Johnson (Dartford), Adam Hollway
(Gravesham), Rehman Chishti (Gillingham), Mark Reckless
(Rochester/Strood), Tracey Crouch (Chatham), and Gordon
Henderson (Sittingbourne/Sheppey).
They pointed out both the Prime Minister amnd the Aviation
minister, Theresa Villiuers, had both said there were no plans for
the airport which it is suggested could be built on the Hoo
peninsula in Mr Reckless' constituency or on an island in the
estuary. Both would have four runways.
They wrote: "If any such proposal were to go ahead it would have
an enormous effect on the lives of hundreds of thousands of
residents living in the wider Thames Estuary region and devastate
an area of global environmental significance."
Lord Foster, the architect behind the Hoo
proposal, estimates the cost at up to £80bn.
,They said: "We strongly urge the government not to proceed
weith these proposals and look instead at fully utilising the
capacity of existing airports in the South East, and others such as
Birmingham, which will now benefit from the new HS2 highspeed rail
lionk to London in 30 - 40 minutes."
Mr Johnson fears the flight path could be over Dartford, and
that the environmental impact would be huge. Large flocks of
birds could also be sucked into aircraft engines.
He added: "We should first look at the possibility of extending
existing airports including Manston."
Tuesday, January 24 2012
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