Congratulations to John Geoghegan on his article which presented both sides of the argument on the proposed Southend Airport runway extension (Dec 9).

But there are comments to be made on the statements by councillor Anna Waite. Her blog expresses the wish that Southend Airport would “start offering flights”. Flights have already been on offer for some time, but the prices and times are not competitive enough for the service to expand. It has been cheaper to drive to Stansted or Heathrow.

Other airports manage on far fewer night flights than Stobart seems to require. The number quoted in the planning permission is far in excess of what we experience now, and does not include planes which are not restricted by current rules.

These will be the smaller, noisier and more polluting planes Ms Waite fears.

She also mentions the “constant road closures”

in Eastwoodbury Lane every time a plane takes off, but we know this will not apply once the new road has been built, which councillor Holdcroft says will go ahead even if the runway is not extended.

She mentions the kudos of a fully-functioning airport and supply chains across the area, but it is still doubtful whether the modifications to our roads will make as much difference to travelling times as expected, and the kudos will, I am sure, affect few beyond the council itself.

The pier is mentioned in the blog as one of the economic drivers of the town, but so little investment has gone into it over the last 30 years one would almost believe the council would be glad if it fell down and ceased to be a problem.

The space-age structure on the south station beggars belief as it appears to have no specific function, and certainly will not keep visitors dry or warm, any more than the proposed open air theatre will.

Kiti Theobald
Brendon Way
Westcliff