It is strange the Echo believes it can simultaneously hold two conflicting opinions and still be taken seriously.

It is unstinting in its praise of Southend Airport and nothing about it is too trivial to report.

When people in Eastwood and Leigh express concerns about noise, pollution and safety as a result of Southend Airport’s expansion, they are told the development is highly desirable and they must stop whingeing and get used to it.

However, when there is a proposal to build a new airport over two miles from Southend with flightpaths over water, the Echo suddenly discovers airports are nasty, noisy and polluting.

The Echo cannot have it both ways, either an airport close to Southend is beneficial or it is not.

With investors desperate to protect their funds from inflation if left in Government bonds and a Government equally concerned to get workers off the dole there are sound reasons to believe this project will be built.

Heathrow cannot be expanded. Despite efforts to fiddle figures, the pollution there now exceeds internationally accepted levels and this could lead to prosecution. It is this that is driving the proposed estuary airport development.

With fast rail replacing domestic flights and long range flights, with ever larger aircraft expanding, there is a shortage of long-runway capacity, not short-runways.

To quote a Plymouth councillor, Britain has too many small airports and must lose money.

Plymouth Airport was losing £8 for every passenger that used it. The estuary airport, if built, would create thousands of real jobs within easy commuting distance of Southend. The lives of people living under the Heathrow flight path would be vastly improved.

Could the reason for the Echo’s opposition to the estuary airport be it would close its favourite airport?

B J Free
Eastwoodbury Lane
Southend

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Echo provides a platform for all shades of opinion on major local issues.

In our editorial Comment columns, we have consistently made it clear the newspaper supports the development of Southend Airport.

However, we have not come out for or against the estuary airport project. When we revealed the latest plans, we argued that if the estuary airport goes ahead, south Essex must fight for every possible economic benefit.