Boris Johnson has taken some flack for having the affront to suggest that it may be possible to build an airport in the Thames Estuary.

Is it such a bonkers idea as some people make out?

Perhaps we should think outside the box sometimes, as we did at the time of the industrial revolution when we became what was to be a great nation.

Just because a few greenies throw a wobbly doesn’t necessarily mean that an idea has to be dead in the water does it?

Now more than ever we need to compete in the global economy thingmy. Holland is already nicking airport freight from us with its several runways in one of its major airports.

Boris is no nit-wit and realises that a third Heathrow runway is a disaster waiting to happen.

We have to explore all possibilities for local and national regeneration if we are stay afloat in the years to come and not just call someone bonkers simply because he sometimes acts as though he is!

Trevor Murdin
Flemming Crescent
Leigh

...Boris Johnson’s sailing trip to the Thames Estuary to check the feasibility of an island airport had all the hallmarks of a stunt. Let us hope that is all it was.

The Mayor of London wants London to have more flights, but he also wants them to happen far away from his voters and let others deal with the consequences.

Those consequences would be severe. The region would be blighted by noise pollution and the damage to our birdlife would be devastating.

All of us would pay the price of many billions, even if the scheme is never realised.

The Conservatives on Southend Council have been planning to expand Priory Crescent for years, spending over £2million of taxpayers’ money achieving absolutely nothing. That would be a drop in the ocean if any government were to take Boris Johnson’s scheme seriously.

Kevin Bonavia
Sutton Road
Southend

...Boris Johnson’s dream of an airport in the Thames is about 50 years too late.

The opportunity was lost in the Sixties when a proposal was put forward to site an airport off Foulness.

The airport was too expensive and not wanted by the people of Southend. Exactly the same applies today.

As regards the existing airport, a decision has to be made as to its future. If it is to be retained then it has to be developed, if not then it needs to be closed.

David Barratt
Southbourne Grove
Westcliff