After his disrupted return from hols back in August, Mayor Johnson vowed to investigate alternatives to our existing London airport situation given the regular breakdowns the big 2 experience, strident opposition to Heathrow expansion and stalling on City Airport's expansion plans. As good as his word, he really is considering the pros and cons of a Thames Estuary airport. More productively, he's calling on government to commission a feasibility study into it as they're the ones who can.
Marinair is an attractively proposed, visionary, offshore idea but we're rapidly going off it due to the pretty huge implications for Kentish wildlife, especially the birds. Then there's the small matter of about 1500 tons of explosives knocking about down there. But, if not that, then what? That damn third runway, expansion at City, intensive investment in super hoverboard development or the infamous piggyback plan?
By the end of this year the government is due to make a decision on Heathrow plans and in light of this, there's affirmative action afoot. At 12.45 tomorrow, representatives from HACAN, a campaigning group for all those "adversely affected" by Heathrow, will flashmob at the Labour Party conference by - wait for it - revealing red t-shirts. If only they'd thought to play Rick Astley too, they might attract some proper attention.
We continue to dither over this one and wonder if we can give up flying altogether.
Image courtesy of nic0's Flickrstream via the Londonist Flickrpool.