Heathrow Expansion

Author
Discussion

aeropilot

34,583 posts

227 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Oceanic said:
Why we don't think a bit further ahead and do something like Borrisisland (I'm not saying that was perfect).
Because Boris Island was only feasible in Boris's head - its a stupid unworkable solution on just about every level.

WCZ

10,525 posts

194 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
HS2 makes more sense imo

JagLover

42,406 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Oceanic said:
Why we don't think a bit further ahead and do something like Borrisisland (I'm not saying that was perfect).
Because Boris Island was only feasible in Boris's head - its a stupid unworkable solution on just about every level.
This

Heathrow is the most accessible for the rest of the country, so expanding Heathrow makes a big statement about prioritising the needs of the country rather than just London.



Oceanic

731 posts

101 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Because Boris Island was only feasible in Boris's head - its a stupid unworkable solution on just about every level.


Why do you think it is "stupid" ?

aeropilot

34,583 posts

227 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Matt80M said:
Goldsmith walks..
Good, one less idiot in Govt.


GT03ROB

13,262 posts

221 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
prand said:
My local council has diverted funds to mount a legal attack on the Government to oppose the expansion. Despite the borough having an overwhelming Conservative majority and is in the PMs constituency! This is going continue to be a hell of a battle.

I'm not holding my breath for this moving quickly off the starting line yet.
At least nobody can accuse her of being a NIMBY!

JagLover

42,406 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
At least nobody can accuse her of being a NIMBY!
May is starting to impress me now.

Early days but the signs are good.

aeropilot

34,583 posts

227 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Oceanic said:
aeropilot said:
Because Boris Island was only feasible in Boris's head - its a stupid unworkable solution on just about every level.


Why do you think it is "stupid" ?
It's unworkable on every level, doesn't address any of the logistics issues for making it work, ignores and glosses over so many things its untrue....and, well I don't have time to write a 200 page report on its failings....but could easily do so.
That's ignoring the fact its too far from London, as is Greenham Common.

You have to make it work from what the customer wants, not forcing the customer to do something they don't want, as they will just go elsewhere.

Something that politicians don't understand.

Boris Island would be the most stupidly expensive white elephant in UK history.


Puggit

48,439 posts

248 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
colin_p said:
I've always wondered why they didn't consider un-mothballing the old Greenham Common airbase.

It is only about 30 miles West of Heathrow, already there and could very quickly and comparitively cheaply provide two runways.

I'd look at it as a remote extension to Heathrow with some kind of hyperloop train to and fro from London, maybe an extension to the Heathrow Express and also easier to provide some kind of loop down off the M4/A34 for cars.

Just been onto Google earth to check, it is well worth a look.

Greenham Common is / has;

36 miles from Heathrow
Nothing much to knock down to build a few terminals there.
The existing but crumbling runway length is as long as Heathrow and a second could easily be added.
Only five miles South of the M4.


To me it looks like the common sense location to plonk a couple of runways, nice and central for access, virtually nothing for miles around compared to Heathrow. Should be cheaper and quicker, should.

Sadly common sense was sadly last seen in 1986 boarding a flight, from Heathrow, probably to somewhere in South America.
Greenham Common only had one long runway, there isn't room for 2 (let alone the 4 the UK really needs).

As for nothing to knock down? How about some hardened bunkers which have been left as they are too difficult to destroy.

Heathrow was the only option, it's a shame it will probably take 20 more years to build it..m

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

157 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
JagLover said:
This

Heathrow is the most accessible for the rest of the country, so expanding Heathrow makes a big statement about prioritising the needs of the country rather than just London.

Does the expansion include widening the M25 even further to cope with all the additional traffic?

Oceanic

731 posts

101 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
It's unworkable on every level, doesn't address any of the logistics issues for making it work, ignores and glosses over so many things its untrue....and, well I don't have time to write a 200 page report on its failings....but could easily do so.
That's ignoring the fact its too far from London, as is Greenham Common.

You have to make it work from what the customer wants, not forcing the customer to do something they don't want, as they will just go elsewhere.

Something that politicians don't understand.

Boris Island would be the most stupidly expensive white elephant in UK history.
The British mindset exhibit 1.

robinessex

11,057 posts

181 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
colin_p said:
I've always wondered why they didn't consider un-mothballing the old Greenham Common airbase.

It is only about 30 miles West of Heathrow, already there and could very quickly and comparitively cheaply provide two runways.

I'd look at it as a remote extension to Heathrow with some kind of hyperloop train to and fro from London, maybe an extension to the Heathrow Express and also easier to provide some kind of loop down off the M4/A34 for cars.

Just been onto Google earth to check, it is well worth a look.

Greenham Common is / has;

36 miles from Heathrow
Nothing much to knock down to build a few terminals there.
The existing but crumbling runway length is as long as Heathrow and a second could easily be added.
Only five miles South of the M4.


To me it looks like the common sense location to plonk a couple of runways, nice and central for access, virtually nothing for miles around compared to Heathrow. Should be cheaper and quicker, should.

Sadly common sense was sadly last seen in 1986 boarding a flight, from Heathrow, probably to somewhere in South America.
Didn't know it existed. Well worth a feasability study I think.

ralphrj

3,525 posts

191 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
It's unworkable on every level, doesn't address any of the logistics issues for making it work, ignores and glosses over so many things its untrue....and, well I don't have time to write a 200 page report on its failings....but could easily do so.
No need to write a 200 page report when an independent commission spent 3 years looking into all the options and wrote a 344 page report concluding that a 3rd runway at Heathrow was the best option.

The Airports Commission Final Report said:
A brand new airport in the Thames Estuary, while appealing in theory, is unfeasibly expensive, highly problematic in environmental terms and would be hugely disruptive for many businesses and communities.

aeropilot

34,583 posts

227 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Oceanic said:
aeropilot said:
It's unworkable on every level, doesn't address any of the logistics issues for making it work, ignores and glosses over so many things its untrue....and, well I don't have time to write a 200 page report on its failings....but could easily do so.
That's ignoring the fact its too far from London, as is Greenham Common.

You have to make it work from what the customer wants, not forcing the customer to do something they don't want, as they will just go elsewhere.

Something that politicians don't understand.

Boris Island would be the most stupidly expensive white elephant in UK history.
The British mindset exhibit 1.
Explain.

Puggit

48,439 posts

248 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
robinessex said:
Didn't know it existed. Well worth a feasability study I think.
Simply put, the site is tiny compared to LHR. Not worth considering.

bad company

18,574 posts

266 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
I'd rather have gone for Stansted BUT at least we have a decision. The politicians have been putting this off for too long.

If Goldsmith throws his toys out of the pram that's his decision.

LotusMartin

1,112 posts

152 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Hallelujah- about F-ing time a government will balls makes a decision. To be honest I can't understand why they don't add new runways to Heathrow AND Gatwick - by the time 2025 arrives we'll wish we had.

These serial compulsive complainers should get over themselves, Vince Cable for one and I'm sure the Evil Dwarf Witch of the North will be sticking her unwanted oar in shortly...

kingston12

5,481 posts

157 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
Does the expansion include widening the M25 even further to cope with all the additional traffic?
I'd pretty much guarantee it won't. When was the last time we invested in supporting infrastructure before something like this is built? The current Heathrow has been there for years and only now with Crossrail are we getting a reasonable public transport connection to it from London apart from the silly-priced Heathrow Express. M25 will be widened when they are considering the fourth runway.

In actual fact it won't really matter too much, because this decision seems to be more about transit passengers connecting at Heathrow rather than those actually starting or ending their journey there.

bga

8,134 posts

251 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Being local to Gatwick I was interested to see the poor infrastructure and connectivity cited as reasons that counted against the expansion. If ever there was an opportunity to improve that then this would be it.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,352 posts

150 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Boris Island would be the most stupidly expensive white elephant in UK history.
I doubt it would have surpassed the expense and stupidity of HS2.