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

by political editor Paul Francis

Transport Secretary Justine Greening has defended plans to examine the case for building a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary, saying it is time to look ahead at what might be needed in the future.

Ms Greening was repeatedly pressed on the issue during a television interview at the weekendm during which she pointedly refused to say the prospect of an airport in the south east was unlikely.

She denied her party had reneged on a pre-election commitment not to build new airport capacity in the south east, saying the party had only agreed that it would oppose plans for a third runway at Heathrow and growth at Gatwick and Stansted.

On the issue of a new hub airport, she said: "What we are saying now is that it is now time to look a bit further ahead and what we do not in the next 10 to 15 years but the next 20-30 years. We had not ruled out building further runways in the south east."

She went on: "What has changed is more of a willingness to look longer term and how we make sure that an international hub airport can better serve the country not just in the next ten years but more in the long term."

"That is the real issue... we should not ignore it but should look at how we are going to address it." There was no "simple answer" but it was vital that any hub airport had better "connectivity."

Her comments will dismay local MPs and council chiefs and comes after a poll by the Medway Messenger confirmed widespread opposition to the idea.

Six of the county's Conservative MPs have written to the Prime Minister asking for a meeting to clarify the government's views on a new airport.