Johnson urged to drop 'Boris Island' airport plan

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The London Assembly has urged the city’s mayor Boris Johnson to drop his plans for a new hub airport in the Thames estuary.

The assembly voted in favour of issuing a motion to Johnson calling for the proposed airport dubbed “Boris Island” to abandon the idea which would cause the closure of Heathrow.

Labour assembly member Murad Qureshi, who proposed the motion, said: “With up to 100,000 jobs on the line at Heathrow it is incredible that the mayor persists in promoting plans for a rival hub airport in the Thames estuary.

“Such an airport would have a devastating effect on the west London economy as well as a serious impact on local wildlife in the estuary and a legacy of noise, congestion and pollution for millions of people in south-east London.

“The message from industry, the airlines and conservationists is simple – the mayor must drop this ridiculous vanity project.”

The assembly voted in favour of Qureshi’s motion by 15 votes to nine during a meeting of all members today.

The idea of an airport in the Thames estuary has been championed by Johnson as the government prepares to release its consultation document on how to increase airport capacity in the south-east.

Johnson earlier this week suggested that one short-term solution to the capacity squeeze would be to build a second runway at Stansted which could be used as a stop-gap while a new hub airport was constructed.

The government’s policy currently is that all options are being considered apart from a third runway at Heathrow.

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