At last, the genie is released from the bottle.

A recent quote in an Echo article from Glyn Jones, CEO of Stobart,wants Southend airport to reach the capacity of Luton airport.

He wants to reach 20 million passengers a year. Since Luton Airport's latest figures show 16.6 million passengers, I assume he wants to grow a quarter larger than Luton.

Heathrow currently handles 80million passengers a year, I assume he sees Southend as being a quarter of London's major airport.

The horrific noise, traffic chaos and worst of all the unimaginable pollution that this expansion would create in our small connurbation would affect everyone living locally, near the flight paths or the surrounding area.

Since we are all now hugely concerned with climate change, how does Mr Jones square his expanding ambition with the environment.

How could a situation arise whereby the Southend, Leigh, Rochford and Thorpe Bay areas become satellite housing estates to an ever expanding behemoth.

Who wants our beautiful coastal town transformed into Luton airport?

Finally, Mr Jones assumes that his vision for the future is the future that Southend's residents either want or need is frankly staggering.

He is in his position purely to make a profit for Stobart, and his plattitudes that he cares for the residents that will suffer this expansion by "keeping an eye on any problems" are unfortunately pie in the sky.

David Vaughan

Canvey Road

Leigh

...IT is no good people adversely affected by the airport complaining because they can possibly be described as collateral damage and no one is going to listen to them.

The noise, fumes, pollution, traffic, parking problems etc have to be tolerated for the greater good.Namely cheap and convenient flights from a local airport.

Anyone not suffering from the airport expansion will have little sympathy for the plight of the local residents whose lives may have been blighted by the recent introduction of night flights.

Some people living under the flight path are unaffected and some apparently are ecstatic when a plane roars overhead.

However there are some whose lives have become a misery since the increase in flights.

I suppose where you live on the flight path may have a bearing.

Pollution and climate change have become major issues in recent years and further expansion is not going to help.

Where is the Green Party when you need them?

As there is little chance of the council or the Government coming to their assistance perhaps the complainants could resort to the European Court of Human Rights for help.

There is bound to be a Human Rights lawyer out there somewhere who would love to represent them in their pursuit of a decent family life.

John Dickens

Eastwoodbury Crescent

Southend