Monday 11 February 2008

I read with interest Boris Johnson's call in the Sunday Times (link opens in a new window) for the government to resurrect plans for a new airport on artificial islands in the Thames Estuary.

Alongside all the very good reasons why we were opposed to an airport at Cliffe in the first place, from an engineering point of view Boris' solution is highly complex and extremely expensive.

We already have an airport in Kent that is underutilised - Manston. A million passenger movements would create between 1,500 to 2,000 much valued jobs.

The extension of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) will bring enormous opportunities to all of Kent, and in particular East Kent. Improved rail links would really open up Thanet and the surrounding area.