Could Boris Be Bad News for the Land of the GWR?

[Envoy]

Boris Johnson keeps suggesting that a new hub airport should be built in the Thames estuary. If that were to result in the downgrading of Heathrow, it could mean that people from places served by the GWR would have an extended journey across London in order to catch flights.

I note that no go ahead has been given for expansion at Heathrow & that no start has been made on the rail link from the GWML to enable passengers to get into the airport directly from the west.

Perhaps someone should tell Boris that most of the UK population is not east of London! Pilots have also mentioned that the Thames estuary is not the place to build an airport due to the high numbers of birds that could be sucked into engines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35855676

"Boris Johnson has refloated the idea of an island airport as an alternative to a third runway at Heathrow.
Plans to create a hub airport in the Thames Estuary were rejected by the Airports Commission (AC) in 2014.
In a report entitled Landing The Right Airport, the mayor says a four-runway airport east of London is the only way to secure enough capacity.
Opponents previously described "Boris Island" as "financially, geographically and environmentally wrong.”

 

[Mojo]

Perhaps someone should tell Boris that most of the UK population is not east of London!

I get the feeling that that's entirely the point.

 

[FordFocus]

Think one of Cameron's parting gifts will finally be the go ahead for Heathrow. Zac Goldsmith who promised to resign if it went ahead is no longer an issue since Sadiq won.

 

[gordonthemoron]

if the economy tanks, there will be no new runway in the south east or Boris Island, furthermore with Heathrow outside the EU it is entirely possible that a lot of it's transfer business will dry up

 

[najaB]

...furthermore with Heathrow outside the EU it is entirely possible that a lot of it's transfer business will dry up

If we were in the Schengen zone I'd agree, but day to day operations at Heathrow will be largely unaffected by leaving the EU.

 

[Esmenfif]

If we were in the Schengen zone I'd agree, but day to day operations at Heathrow will be largely unaffected by leaving the EU.

If anything, we'll have to join Schengen now to get access to the single market a la Norway and Switzerland, meaning we'll be in an even better position for such business after 'leaving' the EU!

 

[Qwerty133]

If anything, we'll have to join Schengen now to get access to the single market a la Norway and Switzerland, meaning we'll be in an even better position for such business after 'leaving' the EU!

Thats not going to happen and you know it...
Any politician that agrees to that can expect to be well and truly dismissed by his electorate at the next election, and they all know it (possibly except Corbyn...)

 

[Esmenfif]

Thats not going to happen and you know it...
Any politician that agrees to that can expect to be well and truly dismissed by his electorate at the next election, and they all know it (possibly except Corbyn...)

It's quite clear to me that all politicians are likely to be 'well and truly dismissed by his or her electorate' at the next general election, courtesy of the present mess, so I don't expect that will be a concern.

 

[infobleep]

Boris Johnson keeps suggesting that a new hub airport should be built in the Thames estuary. If that were to result in the downgrading of Heathrow, it could mean that people from places served by the GWR would have an extended journey across London in order to catch flights.

I note that no go ahead has been given for expansion at Heathrow & that no start has been made on the rail link from the GWML to enable passengers to get into the airport directly from the west.

Perhaps someone should tell Boris that most of the UK population is not east of London! Pilots have also mentioned that the Thames estuary is not the place to build an airport due to the high numbers of birds that could be sucked into engines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35855676

Would people who living closer mBoris Airport plan continue to suffer with Heathrow being so far away from them compared to an airport close by?

Could twist the issue anyway to affect anyone. There will always be winners and losers. The best thing about that one might hope to achieve is the best outcome for the majority of the people and the environment.

Expansion might get happen at Gatwick and that would disadvantage those on the GWR and those closer to Boris's Airport plan.

Selfishly I favour Gatwick as it's on a train line and doesn't require a bus to get there - I'm excluding the tube in this case.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

[D1009]

Expansion might get happen at Gatwick and that would disadvantage those on the GWR and those closer to Boris's Airport plan.

Selfishly I favour Gatwick as it's on a train line and doesn't require a bus to get there - I'm excluding the tube in this case.

Not sure what you mean. Gatwick is served by GWR, and Heathrow is on a rail line.

 

[6Gman]

Think one of Cameron's parting gifts will finally be the go ahead for Heathrow. Zac Goldsmith who promised to resign if it went ahead is no longer an issue since Sadiq won.

Goldsmith's threat was to resign as an MP.

Which would still apply.

 

[ExRes]

I've never been able to understand quite what Boris had in mind for the Heathrow area after he'd shut down the airport. Take away the employment from Heathrow and what does he expect to do with the land and the properties that many of the employees live in? Should all of the employees move to East London against, possibly, their will or are they expected to commute across London every day?

Forgetting Brexit completely, exactly what industry did/does he expect to move to Heathrow after digging up the runways and why should they want to move there?

His floating airport may make a good presentation piece and a lot of cash and kudos for the architects, but I've always thought it totally impractical

 

[Mojo]

I've never been able to understand quite what Boris had in mind for the Heathrow area after he'd shut down the airport. Take away the employment from Heathrow and what does he expect to do with the land and the properties that many of the employees live in?

Given the housing crisis in London, and the decent rail transport links at Heathrow, I suspect that many would welcome an opportunity to create a massive housing development. Let us also not forget the amount of business in west London and also going out along the M4 corridor which would make it quite good.

Having said that, Heathrow might downsize but would it ever close?

 

[route:oxford]

If that were to result in the downgrading of Heathrow, it could mean that people from places served by the GWR would have an extended journey across London in order to catch flights.

Only if they were catching a flight from the new Airport.

You don't need to cross London to reach Gatwick, Southampton or Birmingham from Reading.

 

[Harbornite]

Having said that, Heathrow might downsize but would it ever close?

I find that unlikely, at least for the next few decades.

 

[3141]

I hope whoever is Prime Minister will focus on sorting out our relationship with the EU. It may be that larger-scale investment is held back by the uncertainties of the next few (at least) years.

 

[bavvo]

I don't see how it would make much difference. Today travellers going to Heathrow from the West have to either change to a bus at Reading, or a stopping train and change again at Hayes, or go all the way to Paddington and get the Heathrow Express.

If an airport is build east of London then there is no way it wouldn't be built with direct rail access from day one, probably at least a spur from Crossrail, and so easily accessible from Reading/Paddington anyway. Some journeys might be marginally longer, but probably more convenient. It would be decades away anyway even if it does get the go ahead so plenty of time to plan.

Anyway, I dare say Boris will have far bigger problems to deal with if he ever gets into No 10 as the UK disintegrates, and this particular pet project will probably quietly disappear...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

About as much uncertainty on infrastructure spend when RT went intoreceivership and became (eventually) Network rail. A 2 year hiatus.

Anyway - who remembers Maplin Sands and Cublngton as airport venues...?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Boris is bad news for everybody in the country, he's not even good news for himself. The man's a cretin.

Boris Island was a prime example of his short sighted, ill conceived Brexit thinking, it's a complete no-go thanks to the huge migratory bird populations which would ultimately have planes falling out of the sky onto Buckingham Palace.

 

[D1009]

Anyway - who remembers Maplin Sands.?

An artificial island was built there and remains to this day, proving it is possible.

 

[Groningen]

Landscapepollution, tide, environment; totally no problem? That airport should be one the same distance as Heathrow. I see room between Gravesend and Sheerness in the district of Medway.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

An artificial island was built there and remains to this day, proving it is possible.

You can build an island anywhere the water depth and tidal currents allow, whether you can use any of those islands for an airport is a completely different matter.

 

[najaB]

You can build an island anywhere the water depth and tidal currents allow, whether you can use any of those islands for an airport is a completely different matter.

It's been done before elsewhere in the world, so no real technical reason it couldn't be done here.

The question that remains is if it *should* be done.

 

[infobleep]

Not sure what you mean. Gatwick is served by GWR, and Heathrow is on a rail line.

I'd forgotten about Heathrow Express and connect service but then I don't live in London so it wouldn't save me any time.

For GWR I was thinking more mainline than branch. I guess Reading to Gatwick isn't a branch but at times it feels like it.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

[FenMan]

Boris is bad news for everybody in the country, he's not even good news for himself. The man's a cretin.

Boris Island was a prime example of his short sighted, ill conceived Brexit thinking, it's a complete no-go thanks to the huge migratory bird populations which would ultimately have planes falling out of the sky onto Buckingham Palace.

Is the correct answer.

Garden Bridge or Emirates Airline anybody?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

It's been done before elsewhere in the world, so no real technical reason it couldn't be done here.

The question that remains is if it *should* be done.

The technical reason is the year round risk of bird strike, with far from negligible risk of bird strike on departing and arriving aircraft.

1 aircraft loss in 100 - 300 years, after extensive and hugely destructive habit modification to make the site as unattractive as possible to birds, and that's still more dangerous than any other major UK airport.

If the site is built upon 'as is' it's regarded as too dangerous to use for any type of aviation, never mind commercial passenger aircraft.

 

[najaB]

The technical reason is the year round risk of bird strike, with far from negligible risk of bird strike on departing and arriving aircraft.

That's a "why it shouldn't be" not a "why it can't be".

 

[Chrisgr31]

Boris is bad news for everybody in the country, he's not even good news for himself. The man's a cretin.

Boris Island was a prime example of his short sighted, ill conceived Brexit thinking, it's a complete no-go thanks to the huge migratory bird populations which would ultimately have planes falling out of the sky onto Buckingham Palace.

They won't be falling on Buckingham Palace, the whole theory about Boris Island is that it is away from London and other population so they'll be falling out the sky in the river, in the sea or in fields.

Mind you a better idea would be to build the airport at Manston, spur on to HS1 and all done.

 

[3141]

If we have a new London Airport intended as the biggest and most important airport in the country it ought to be located where it's easy for people from other parts of the country to get to, and not just those in London and the South East. That rules out most of Kent.

It should preferably be built N. or S. of London, because if it's E. or W. planes will have to fly over London on approach or departure, as they do now with Heathrow.

 

[najaB]

It should preferably be built N. or S. of London, because if it's E. or W. planes will have to fly over London on approach or departure, as they do now with Heathrow.

So Redhill it is!