A cross-secton of Lord Foster's plans for a Thames Estuary airport

by political editor Paul Francis

London Mayor Boris Johnson has renewed his support for a Thames Estuary airport with a call to the Prime Minister to stop “pussyfooting around” over major infrastructure projects.

In comments that indicate he intends to continue to press the case for a new airport, he said there was inertia in the government - but the Chancellor George Osborne backed the plan and transport secretary Justine Greening “got” the need for an airport.

The Mayor, who some believe may eventually return to Westminster as an MP, made his comments in an interview with the Evening Standard.

They will irritate opponents of the scheme for a new four runway hub airport, who believe it is too costly, unlikely to be supported by airlines and environmentally damaging.

“The government needs to stop pussyfooting around,” said Mr Johnson.

He also criticised the government’s decision to delay the publication of a consultation into Britain’s airports until after the next election as totally mad.

“I don’t think you can rely on Heathrow. Even if the government was so mad and wrong to do the third runway or mixed mode [mixing take-offs and landings on the same runways] those solutions would rapidly run out of usefulness and time.”

The Chancellor was “very much” up for big infrastructure projects such as an airport in the Thames Estuary.

However, the Mayor claimed the Prime Minister has yet to be convinced and blamed the “institutional inertia of the government”.

The KM Group revealed in February how Chancellor George Osborne and his officials held a string of private meetings with the backers of plans for a new airport in Kent, including the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The previously undisclosed contacts stretched over a four-month period between May and August last year, according to details obtained by the KM Group under the Freedom of Information Act.