Southend Labour Party

Working hard for you

Say NO to estuary airport plans

Southend would have to put up with a gigantic, 24 hour, hub airport where currently there is pleasant and generally peaceful scenery. We would get no economic benefits as the transport links would be on the Kent side. It would kill off our own airport, which we are agreed is essential for economic growth in the town.

Southend Conservatives have been quick to signal opposition to the ‘Boris Island’ Estuary Airport proposals that would be an unmitigated disaster for our town.

However, for all their statements both James Duddridge MP and Rochford & Southend East Conservatives are still promoting Boris Johnson on their websites, soliciting donations and support for his mayoral campaign.

Labour Group Leader IAN GILBERT said, “If the Conservatives in Essex were to repudiate the architect of this scheme which will have such a catastrophic impact on our town and withhold their support from Mr Johnson, this would make clear to the both the London Mayor and the Government how seriously we in this part of the world take this threat.

If they’re still backing Boris Johnson despite his plans to ruin our town, we’ll have to conclude that they are not serious about mounting real opposition to the Estuary Airport”.

Milton Ward candidate JULIAN WARE-LANE added, “The proposed airport will have an enormous impact on our town. Noise and pollution are just part of the venomous cocktail; those who enjoy the seafront will have to face the fact that it will change forever. Watchers of wildlife will see changes that will damage an internationally important area.

An estuary airport will not stop the planes flying over land – especially those that will have to circle whilst waiting for their landing slots.

Ultimately there is only one way to stop this mad idea, and that is to send a clear signal to Number 10  by voting out the Tories. Anyone who wanders around the Borough of Southend-on-Sea cannot fail to see that ’conserving’ is not on the Tory agenda. We are already heading towards a Concrete-on-Sea town; an estuary airport will make it Concrete-on-Concrete”.