Clik here to view.
Heathrow is a problem (Thousands of jobs at risk if third runway is blocked, warn lobbyists , 6 March) because it's successful – if not, it would hardly be working at 99% capacity. It is in the right place, useful for passengers, and popular with airlines, leading to it becoming a world-class hub airport. Justine Greening's stated position is that "if you were starting from scratch today you would not put Heathrow where it is". Exactly, but we are not starting from scratch. Heathrow is in west London and positioned centrally to one of the most prosperous areas in Europe – the Bristol, Birmingham, west London and Southampton megalopolis. Moving to a windswept peninsula far to the east of London, one of the supported alternatives, would leave a great white hole and threaten the prosperity of the area that creates wealth for the whole of the UK. The estuary site has gained support recently simply so that London mayor Boris Johnson can make promises to west London's voters just before the May elections. Heaven knows this area of north Kent and east London needs all the development it can get, but starting from scratch without suitable road, rail, logistics support or a suitable pool of an estimated 76,000 skilled airport workers would end any scheme for a hub and overwhelm the economy of north Kent.
Derek Munton
Chair, Rochester and Strood constituency Labour party
• The clamour for the aviation white paper to consider "all options" is hellbent on a third runway at Heathrow or possibly the insanity of building an island in the Thames estuary. Yet the very idea of a new hub airport in the north will not get a look in despite an eminently rational location south-east of Doncaster. Building a new hub at Robin Hood airport makes sense on many levels. It is in open countryside and surrounded by highly developed roads and rail. It is close to east coast ports. It has the third longest runway in England. Its approach and departure flight paths are over comparatively unpopulated areas, unlike the south-east. It would create tens if not hundreds of thousands of jobs in an area still suffering from 80s and 90s recessions. It would relieve Heathrow of all shuttle traffic from the north. It would take pressure off Manchester. It makes more sense than both of the leading options but it will not get a look in because it is a given that all major infrastructure development must be in the drought-stricken golden triangle. Will they will come for northern water soon? It is time to think outside the "triangle".
lan Marsden
Penrith, Cumbria
