Robert Marshall-Andrews

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Campaign Takes Flight - No Airport @ Cliffe

The campaign to stop an international airport being built at Cliffe has gone from strength to strength with several key reports concluding that it would be the wrong decision by the Government.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), British Airways, British Airports Authority (BAA) and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) and Medway Council have all published key reports stating that Cliffe should not be an option. Even the Government's own Department of Transport's report questioned whether Cliffe would be a good idea due to the high risk of bird strikes.

Armed with the powerful facts and figures from these documents I have spoken to the new ministers responsible for the airport consultation. I have emphasised the direct relationship between the destruction of homes and communities and the loss of one of the most important environmental sites in Europe.

I have also stressed that it is essential that the Government to notify us of any decision at the earliest possible opportunity. It is unacceptable that the communities affected have had this shadow hanging over them for so long.

Most important I continue to speak to and correspond with the many local people who are deeply worried by this proposal. To date I have answered over 2,500 letters on the issue. I have also attended public meetings and co-hosted a Westminster lobby.

It continues to go our way. Late last month my fellow backbench MPs sitting on the House of Commons' Transport Select Committee advised Government against the construction of an airport on a greenfield site (i.e. Cliffe) because of the huge impact it would have on the environment.

With the Government's extended consultation period now over our fight still goes on. Although we have had extensive support from major players we must not be complacent. It is vital that we continue to put our case that it is environmental madness to build an airport on our green fields and to destroy the homes and lives of local people. I firmly believe that we will win this campaign.