Taking a Star Trek approach to development is not a good idea, but before the newly announced Thames Airport review even gets started, Mayor Johnson's on the Today programme asserting his belief that it can and will be built.
The very real danger to planes and human lives of bird strike posed by the estuary's vast numbers of wild birds didn't seem to concern Boris. He is not Captain Kirk and neither Doug Oakervee nor Sir Norman Foster come close to being Scotty; they cannot whip out an engineering 'fix' to magic the issue away.
In all battles between man and nature, nature always wins; eventually. So we need smart development, not stupid development. We need to ensure today's investment creates jobs and infrastructure that improves communities and our environment; and enables local economies to grow.
The presence of birds isn't the only major issue to consider. There are areas protected by UK and European law for their natural and social or historic importance, whole communities of people, rare and threatened species of plants, marine life, river life, and wildlife. Add to this the economic implications of a development on this scale and you can see that a review is not going to be something that will find a galaxy saving solution within the half hour of a fictional TV series.
Boris, don't expect to be beamed up to safety by this estuary airport smokescreen this side of a mayoral election. Invest instead in better, greener transport infrastructure in London.
Brilliant! Well said Tim! We are with you all the way
Friends of the North Kent Marshes
Conservation and Communities United