Boris attacks government’s ‘gelatinous indecision’ on airport expansion
Boris Johnson today urged the government to "get their skates on" and build a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary as he attacked the coalition's "great gelatinous quivering amoeba of indecision" over the issue.
He also called for the government to rule out any further expansion at Heathrow, during his speech to the annual CBI conference.
The London mayor summoned up the words of Martin Luther King, in order to call for a new airport in the Thames Estuary.
"I had a sensational dream the other day. I dreamt that I flew into a spanking new multi-runway 24 hour hub airport, built to the highest environmental standards," he said.
He insisted a new airport in the Thames Estuary would have "the most phenomenal potential" of all the options being considered and warned that expanding Heathrow would be "mad" and a "disaster" for the UK.
Delegates were played the sounds of aircraft taking off to demonstrate that Heathrow is "by far the biggest inflicter of noise pollution misery in Europe".
He described proposals for a third runway at Heathrow as "toxic" and insisted that the Davies Commission and the government should "rule it out" right away.
He said it was "flat nonsense" to claim that moving Heathrow airport to Kent would cripple west London's economy.
He also insisted that any job losses in the capital would be made up for by the overall economic benefits of building a new hub airport.
Johnson had promised to take questions from the audience after his speech, but refused to take any saying "That's enough. No questions. The case speaks for itself," as he walked off the stage.
Johnson's call for a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary was met with some scepticism from the CBI.
“It’s great to hear some blue sky thinking on aviation but it’s time to touch down" Katja Hall, CBI Chief Policy Director, said after the speech.
"What we need now is for all politicians to commit to the outcome of the Davies Commission before the next election."
