Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s response to the Government’s Draft Aviation Policy Framework, said:
“Boris Johnson is certainly right to so strongly oppose a third Heathrow runway. Its impact would be devastating for so many Londoners.
“However, where I part company with him is over his obsession with a Thames Estuary Airport. An expensive new airport in the Thames Estuary would harm local wildlife and almost certainly impact on shipping. Most significantly a Thames Estuary airport would pose huge risks due to the location of the sunken SS Richard Montgomery loaded with 1,400 tonnes of explosives.
“With Birmingham airport looking to expand, Stansted only half full and Gatwick expanding into emerging markets, as well as a smarter use of existing slots at Heathrow it is clear there are plenty of alternatives to meeting the challenge of delivering connections to Asia and other growing economies.”