Boris Johnson brands decision to dump Thames airport plan 'myopic' and 'irrelevant'

London's Mayor accused the Commission, which is headed by the former Financial Services Authority chairman, Sir Howard Davies, for setting the torturous debate over aviation capacity "back by half a century" by short-listing two options, Heathrow and Gatwick, that have been on the table for decades "without ever reaching take-off".

He suggested the Commission's work is now becoming "irrelevant" as Heathrow in particular will never pass muster with politicians and it is likely Sir Howard's verdict will be ignored by Parliament. As a consequence, the Commission's final report will likely to be added to a long-list of inquiries and policy documents compiled over the last 50 years that have gone nowhere and are now "gathering dust", the Mayor claimed.

The Commission will launch public consultations on proposals for a third runway at Heathrow and a second runway at Gatwick before delivering its final verdict after the general election. However a new Government will be under no obligation to enforce its recommendations.

Mr Johnson said: "In one myopic stroke the Airports Commission has set the debate back by half a century and consigned their work to the long list of vertically filed reports on aviation expansion that are gathering dust on a shelf in Whitehall.

"Gatwick is not a long term solution and Howard Davies must explain to the people of London how he can possibly envisage that an expansion of Heathrow, which would create unbelievable levels of noise, blight and pollution, is a better idea than a new airport to the east of London that he himself admits is visionary, and which would create the jobs and growth this country needs to remain competitive. It remains the only credible solution, any process that fails to include it renders itself pretty much irrelevant, and I’m absolutely certain that it is the option that will eventually be chosen.”

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