DOVER district councillors say they believe Manston Airport has been given "short shrift" in the Government's plans for future development of air transport.

Members of the council cabinet, meeting on Monday, said they totally opposed the plans for a new airport at Cliffe.

"Stansted should be improved and Manston should be included in the figures," said council leader Cllr Peter Wells.

Cllr Simon Bannister said the Government's approach was inconsistent. "I wonder why they put Cliffe in? It's a non-starter and it should not be taking the energy from people to oppose it. It should have been ruled out at an early stage.

"Manston has a number of things to commend it and it has got short shrift in all this.

"I think we are going down the wrong road here. People are hopping on planes in the south east to go to Birmingham. We should be getting them off the planes and into trains. It's ridiculous."

But the council's managing director Nadeem Aziz warned that Cliffe was a contender and it would be "very bad news" for this area.

"For East Kent the consequences could be dire," he said. Councillors agreed, saying an airport at Cliffe would kill off east Kent.

Backing up Thanet District Council's response to the consultation, they called for the Department of Transport to reconsider its view of a sustainable airports policy and to fully explore the potential for improved high-speed rail services as an alternative to short-haul air routes.