As residents, our choices, according to Rochford Council leader Terry Cutmore and councillor Keith Hudson, are that if we don’t allow Stobarts the runway extension at Southend Airport we will be plagued by 900 flights every month with noisy polluting aircraft.

However, if we do allow the extension then we just get two million passengers a year during the hours between 6-30am and 11pm, plus whatever night flights Stobarts can arrange with both councils!

Since British Airways lost £400million last year, Ryanair is closing routes left right and centre and still not making money and Easyjet has cancelled orders for new planes because of the economic climate, why do these two councillors think any airline is going to buy new “quieter” jets to operate out of a gridlocked cul-de-sac, surrounded by residential property?

David Vaughan
Canvey Road
Leigh