Britain’s Airport
Hub
The issue of the UK’s aviation crisis is hot in the
Government, the media and society. Heathrow cannot cope with the predicted
increase of flights - from 140 million passengers to 400 million by 2050. So
the debate for a plan needs to be made quickly. On the 17th
December, the Airport’s Commission shortlisted its three options for expanding
the UK’s aviation capacity. These are; adding a third runway to Heathrow,
lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow and building a new runway at Gatwick.
The Commission also stated that they have not ruled out the possibility of the
construction of a new runway in the Thames Estuary.
Expanding Heathrow is a strongly opposed option because the
large airport already has 5 terminals and 2 runways with proposals of any
expansion immediately opposed by locals. However building a new hub would
decrease the use of Heathrow and not only lose the business money but also
cause tens of thousands of people to lose their jobs. Another arguing case
against the expansion of Heathrow is that by the time a third runway is built
(estimated 2030) there would be a demand for a fourth runway.
A Thames Estuary Airport has been proposed for decades but
nothing has progressed due to environmental concerns for bird species. Ideas
range from runways built on artificial islands which would be connected by
shuttles to the mainland terminals and then railways into London and to the
Channel Tunnel.
However, another Thames airport idea is Sir Norman Foster’s
Thames Hub Airport which would be built on reclaimed land and would involve a
new Thames tidal barrier which would provide greater flooding protection and
tidal energy.
In July, Foster + Partners submitted the final proposal for
the Thames Estuary airport. These plans not only outline the 4 runway airport
but also the new and much needed Thames flood barrier, and the transport links.
The proposal is quite staggering due to the amount of infrastructure that is
needed but really the UK’s railways are already well organised so would not
need drastic developments.
The proposal for the construction of this new airport is the
realisation that to secure Britain’s future economy, their global supply chains
needs to be expanded. With the construction of additional runways at London’s
main airports, Heathrow and Gatwick facing strong opposition, building a 4
runway one by the Thames Estuary is seen to be the favoured proposal for
increasing British international trade and travel connections. The new 4 runway
airport will quadruple the flight destinations to Asia and the Americas, and
will service 110 million passengers a year.
The airport proposal has been submitted with high speed rail
connections to London’s main stations and to other British cities. As well as
linking to the nearby motorways such as the M25. The construction will also
include the building of a new Thames flood barrier. With the current one
needing to be rebuilt to guarantee London’s embankments’ safety, the Thames
airport construction fits well with the design.
Foster + Partners success with many other high scale designs
such as the Beijing airport makes me even more supportive of the Thames
transportation hub because it not only is the best solution for the British
trade economy but also as the firm is normal very efficient with delivering
successful, beautiful designs.
by Tim Spears
