by Hayley Robinson

A campaign has been launched to halt London Mayor Boris Johnson's plans for an airport off Sheppey.

People can now register their views and sign an online petition against the proposal which has been outlined in a feasibility study published by the Mayor of London's office.

It has been launched by Medway Council, Kent County Council and the RSPB which all condemn recommendations for the estimated £40bn floating airport.

KCC leader Cllr Paul Carter said: "We hope everyone will get behind this campaign. We saw off plans for an airport at Cliffe in 2002 and we will do it again.

"There is also no need for a third runway at Heathrow. What is needed is a review of the capacity of the existing airports and their transport links - Birmingham to Heathrow, Heathrow to Gatwick, London to Stansted and Manston.

"It makes sense to sweat the assets already available to us in the south east. Kent International Airport at Manston, for example, has one of the longest runways in Europe.

"Manston could, at far less cost be connected to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link domestic services for fast journey times from London to Kent.

"Manston could also handle six million passenger movements a year which would boost the local economy in an area of high deprivation. Far more sensible in our view."

A similar airport scheme was defeated in Medway seven years ago thanks to public opposition.

Cllr Rodney Chambers, leader of Medway Council, said: "The airport and the infrastructure needed to serve it would cost a ridiculous amount of money and it would devastate the environment which includes Sites of Special Scientific Interest and internationally important areas where hundreds of thousands of birds migrate to annually.

"This scheme does not add up. It cannot be allowed to progress any further."

Chris Corrigan, RSPB regional director, said: "As well as massive environmental damage, there could be a significant risk of birdstrike, as the Thames Estuary is a hub for hundreds of thousands of migrant birds.

"Even with an aggressive bird hazard management programme (such as shooting or scaring birds away), the bird strike hazard would be up to 12 times higher than at any other major UK airport."

To sign the online petition visitwww.stopestuaryairport.co.uk

Feasabilty study

The proposal to build the new four runway airport has come another step closer to reality.

A feasibility study about to be published by Doug Oakervee - the man who helped construct a similar airport in Hong Kong - is believed to look favorably at the plan.

It is also understood the study will say environmental issues and concerns about wildlife can be overcome.

Plans for the project include two man-made islands with four runways built two miles off Sheerness seafront.

It would operate around the clock and include a new high speed train link which would whisk passengers to London and the Continent and improved ferry and motorway links.

The vision is that the new airport would solve overcrowding at Heathrow.

The idea of an island airport has been universally condemned in Kent, with politicians from all parties and local councils and environmental groups saying it is a non-starter.

Mr Johnson is at odds with his own party's policy on aviation, which sets out an expansion of regional airport capacity using high-speed rail links to cities.

Port development

Boris Island doesn't appear to be causing The Peel Group too much of a headache.

The owner of Sheerness docks recently announced plans to transform the port with hundreds of millions of pounds in investment for a marina, housing and hundreds of jobs.

And it isn't planning on going back to the drawing board any time soon even though a huge floating airport could be built in the Thames Estuary just off Sheerness.

Paul Glock, spokesman for Peel Ports, said: "We drew up our plans based on what we believe our particular vision is.

"If you look at areas surrounding Gatwick and Heathrow housing is still going up it all depends on flight plans.

"All ports need to continually grow and they have to have plans for growth. As a port authority we are always renewing our port policy.

"In the long term many things will change evolution comes in many shapes and sizes but until we get a final article we carry on as we are."

Government view

THE plans have been described as not in any way credible by Transport Minister Lord Adonis.

The government minister said the plans were flawed and the prospects of it ever getting off the ground remote.

He cast also serious doubt on the funding, saying: "Where is the £40bn going to come from? Has Boris got any idea where he's going to magic up £40bn?"

Deputy mayor of London Kit Malthouse recently claimed that funding for the scheme could come from international investors.

He said the Boris Island project had drawn the interest of middle Eastern countries as well as China.

Mr Malthouse said: 'We have had an incredible amount of interest from countries such as Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, which have signalled they would like to fund the airport. It is possible we could build it without taxpayers' money."

A review has been completed and an engineering company has been carrying out a feasibility study commissioned by Mayor Johnson.