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* * * News for 23^rd July 2002 * * *

All of Medway: 23^rd July 2002 (updated on 8^th August 2002)

The South-East England Regional Airports Study (SERAS) report shows this option among several others that propose merely extending existing airports. The peninsula proposal is the only option that means building a brand-new airport.

Here is a link to the Department for Transport's Consultation Document on the whole issue. At 7.7 of the summeary document the main reasons given for looking at Cliffe (as they call it, though it transpires that themain impact is more likely to be upon All Hallows) are:

• the availability of sufficient land for a major new airport;
• potentially good surface transport links with London and other areas;
• the relatively low numbers of people affected by aircraft noise;
• potential for 24-hour operation to meet the needs of air freight; and
• the support an airport could give to regeneration policies in the Thames Gateway.

Here is a map of the area under threat, showing the first two runways that would be completed:

An interesting aspect of all this is the effect Rochester Airport has on the Government's plans: because of flight path clashes, any new airport in or near the Medway Towns would have quite stringent restrictions placed on its air movements around the airport. With hindsight one can see how the removal of Rochester Airport would have got rid of this impediment, and we can all see how important is has been to the Labour government and their lackeys in the local authority in the target area to close Rochester.

Now all those spurious arguments about employment potential (well and truly debunked by local action groups and Conservative Councillors throughout the thre--year campaign) can be seen for what they really were—excuses for getting Rochester Airport out of the way of Medway Peninsula Airport (as we might call it for now). If anyone in the Medway Towns ever had any faith in Labour Councillors (or their good buddies the Liberal Democrat members) representing their interests, this should be the final nail in that coffin.

At this evening's Cabinet meeting Cllr Howard Doe said, upon hearing the announcement from the House: "For years now Medway has been London's dustbin where all their problems are dumped." He went on to declare that Medway had done its part to help London over the years, and is continuing to do so, but "Enough is enough!" he added.

If you wish to express any opinions that you'd like the Council to consider including in their response to the proposals, here is a special email address for this purpose.

In the meantime, not only the editorial pages of the local newspapers but also their letters pages are covering this issue in depth and providing a wealth of argumants against the proposal, some of which will be new to many.