AIRPORTS COMMISSION SINKS ESTUARY IDEA

摘要

A new airport in the Thames Estuary is not the best way to meet Britain's need for hub capacity, according to the Airports Commission. Its final report, to be published next summer, will recommend a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick. The government-appointed panel said an inner Thames Estuary (ITE) airport, off the north Kent coast, would be too risky. Economic disruption would be "huge" and the investment required "very significant". Commission chairman Sir Howard Davies said: "There are serious doubts about the delivery and operation of a very large hub airport in the estuary." The scheme's least ambitious version would cost £70 to £90 billion (US$114-146bn) with much greater public expenditure involved than in the Heathrow and Gatwick options, according to the commission's latest assessment. Costs to the taxpayer could reach £30 to £60 billion (US$49-97bn) in total.