Boris Island plans deserted by government, deemed too expensive and time-consuming

It’s official: The “Boris Island” has been rejected.

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s plans to build an airport in the Thames Estuary have been slapped down by the government.

The decision comes from the Airports Commission.

Airports Commission Chair Sir Howard Davies said:

“We are not persuaded that a very large airport in the Thames estuary is the right answer to London’s and the UK’s connectivity needs.

“While we recognise the need for a hub airport, we believe this should be a part of an effective system of competing airports to meet the needs of a widely spread and diverse market like London’s.

“The economic disruption would be huge and there are environmental hurdles which it may prove impossible, or very time-consuming to surmount. Even the least ambitious version of the scheme would cost £70 to £90bn with much greater public expenditure involved than in other options – probably some £30 to £60bn in total.”

Boris hit out at the Airport Commission’s decision saying an airport in the Thames Estuary is the “only credible solution”.

“In one myopic stroke the Airports Commission has set the debate back by half a century and consigned their work to the long list of vertically filed reports on aviation expansion that are gathering dust on a shelf in Whitehall.

“Gatwick is not a long term solution and Howard Davies must explain to the people of London how he can possibly envisage that an expansion of Heathrow, which would create unbelievable levels of noise, blight and pollution, is a better idea than a new airport to the east of London that he himself admits is visionary, and which would create the jobs and growth this country needs to remain competitive.

“It remains the only credible solution, any process that fails to include it renders itself pretty much irrelevant, and I’m absolutely certain that it is the option that will eventually be chosen.”

The three options now in the running are: two additional runways at Heathrow and one at Gatwick.

What’s the best solution for our airport capacity issues? Tweet me @shrutitripathi6