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Mayor considers 'island airport' | Mayor considers 'island airport' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An airport on an artificial island in the Thames estuary could be the answer to the overcrowding at Heathrow, London's mayor has suggested. | An airport on an artificial island in the Thames estuary could be the answer to the overcrowding at Heathrow, London's mayor has suggested. |
Boris Johnson believes the island solution could put an end to the need for a third runway at Heathrow. | Boris Johnson believes the island solution could put an end to the need for a third runway at Heathrow. |
Officials are looking at plans to reduce air traffic congestion at Heathrow and focus on a 24-hour airport off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. | Officials are looking at plans to reduce air traffic congestion at Heathrow and focus on a 24-hour airport off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. |
Heathrow handles more than 500,000 take-offs and landings a year. | Heathrow handles more than 500,000 take-offs and landings a year. |
You can't endlessly expand Heathrow in the suburbs of west London and entrench what was really a planning error of decades ago Boris Johnson | |
In his transport manifesto unveiled during the mayoral elections Mr Johnson had spoken about a possible new airport in the Thames estuary. | |
Mr Johnson said: "You can't endlessly expand Heathrow in the suburbs of west London and entrench what was really a planning error of decades ago. | |
"I'm looking at all the airports around the perimeter including the option of a new site somewhere in the Thames estuary, that's something I definitely think we should look at. | |
"What we are looking at is a way of solving this great capital's aviation needs without endlessly expanding our number one international airport," he added. | |
Feasibility study | Feasibility study |
A spokesperson for the mayor said Mr Johnson "wants to undertake a study to establish the feasibility of the idea once and for all and is in the process of examining the best way to take the study forward." | |
Mr Johnson added that the environmental impact on the proposed site will also be considered while judging the site's viability. | |
By the end of this year the government is due to make a decision on the proposed expansion of Heathrow. | |
Operator BAA has been stressing on the need for expansion saying that Heathrow is "jam-packed" and needs a third runway to remain competitive globally. | Operator BAA has been stressing on the need for expansion saying that Heathrow is "jam-packed" and needs a third runway to remain competitive globally. |
But environmentalists, residents groups and councils opposing the move say the proposed expansion would have a serious impact on hundreds of thousands of homes in the area in terms of air quality and noise levels. | But environmentalists, residents groups and councils opposing the move say the proposed expansion would have a serious impact on hundreds of thousands of homes in the area in terms of air quality and noise levels. |