Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Good News from Manston and bad News from Labour




The good news Is that Manston airport could provide 2000 jobs in the not too distant future according to an independent report from York Aviation commissioned by owners Infratil, the report concedes it would be necessary to allow flights between 7am and 11pm.

The bad news is that Clive Hart's Labour has contrary to the hopes and aspirations of ordinary working people declared war on Manston and the significant inward investment like the new Parkway Railway Station.

It's in my opinion easy to see where Labour are coming from many Labour councillors are at the end of their working lives if not retired, so they've taken an unchallenging, win at any cost, approach to the recent elections, unfortunately this means that they've boxed themselves into a position.

Not long ago Labour councillors were principled, enough to reluctantly accept as did their Tory counterparts that it may be necessary to allow night flights.

Whats changed since, maybe it's to do with Clive Hart's leadership or the realisation that the Labour party core support comes from the pampered public sector economy and welfare dependent.

Does Thanet Labour care about ordinary working people, not likely their to wrapped up in back slapping each other with the odd petty victories of chair of local council and mayoralty.

Still on the bright side, Infratil are still battling, Labour have some new blood, who I hope don't get the deselection treatment from the old boys, hopefully even Clive might wish to watch his back and I'm sure even he would appreciate that those of us who on balance prefer to get up and go to work everyday will be unlikely to forgive him.

40 comments:

  1. How can it be an independant report if commissioned and paid for by the Manston's owners.
    If it said anything different it would have been thrown away. Not worth the paper its printed on.

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  2. Night flights are unacceptable over Herne Bay. This is a quality of life issue for the residents. Please remember other district council areas and their populations are affected in the matter of Manston aircraft movements.

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  3. Hey Tony, if you want to share your sour grapes with anyone, try asking Gerry O'Donnell. I'm sure he'll be happy to oblige.

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  4. 1 14 Simple accountants are independent but paid for by a client presumably they are using professionals.

    As for worried of Herne Bay I asked a friend if he had ever heard aircraft noise in the many years he had lived there his answer was no. So you have nothing to worry about.

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  5. I would not pin too much hope on the new boys to the Labour benches, Tony. One, over on his blog Red Thanet, seems intent on reintroducing the 'class' war with rants about the royal family, 'tossers' in red coats and calling on people to demonstrate down at Ramsgate harbour. That, of course, has the potential to screw the port, drive away its users and lose even more local jobs.

    Sadly the militants are back, have a taste of close to power in Thanet
    and will embark on the usual programme of opposing everything that is proposed on principle, whether good or bad for the area.

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  6. 1 36 I just get irritated by people like bonkers of Herne Bay who have no conceivable complaint, but are intent on worrying up a storm.

    I understand that a few residents, who were either born in or moved to Ramsgate some time before WWII prior to Manston Airport existence my have a gripe otherwise I hope local labour think of others rather than themselves.

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  7. Sadly, Tony, working up a storm, frequently in a teacup, is what Labour and their supporters do. Any claims to be the party of jobs or social housing long went out the window in Thanet, as you well know.

    It is all protest and agitate and to hell with any suggestion of happiness and well being. But then, I guess, happy people don't tend to vote Labour. Stand by for a flood of abuse from the miserable fraternity.

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  8. I think if you do a bit of research into reports produced on regional airports either by their owners or local councils they all come to the same conclusion that regional airports are good for the economy and will create jobs. This report is no different. It is by a LLP that has a vested interest in the the ever expanding aviation industry, that how they earn their crusts.
    The key point of this latest report have been released but there is no mention of any downsides like losses of jobs in the leisure sector or the financial and human costs of noise and sleep degravation.
    I wait with interest to see if this is covered in the full report.

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  9. Please go to places around Heathrow and Gatwick. Sure they have noise but they have jobs, prosperity and some of the most expensive property in the UK. Would you rather stick with run down towns, a depressed property market, high unemployment and social deprivation in return for a good nights sleep.

    As to tourism, just think about it. All the world's top tourist destinations have airports. Strangely enough, that is how people get there.

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  10. Infratil's other airport Prestwick has 1.8 million passengers a year, night flights and is the only airport in Scotland with a rail connection to a major city. It provides just over 300 jobs. Of tourism businesses surveyed on behalf of Prestwick by Sth Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise, only 2% said the lack of airport would threaten their existence in Ayrshire.

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  11. You have turned it round, Anon, for in your earlier comment you suggested an airport could cost jobs in tourism. Now you are suggesting it does not increase them by much.

    Which is it or is it whichever suits your anti-airport case at the time. I despair of Thanet's prospects with the constant negativity that flows out from people like you.

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  12. What about London City Airport and Charles Buchanan's broken promises there?

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  13. Anon 3.07, when has Thanet been one of the worlds top tourists destinations? How many people do you find sitting on the sands at Gatwick and Heathrow? I think you will find that most of the UK's regional airports are just a way of shifting passengers from A to B and not the final destinstion. Why else would there be a cry for new rail services to Manston? Not get get people to Margate, Broasstairs and Ramsgate but to move them on to London and beyound.
    ps you also failed to spot that there are several people posting comments!

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  14. I don't think I failed to spot the variety of posters but the ones from the same source are self evident. Furthermore, this is about creating jobs at Manston primarily, but somebody suggested it could damage the local tourism. Frankly, tourism where the airport is concerned is pretty much an irrelevance for it will neither damage or greatly increase it.

    However, let's not spoil a good whinge for with the negativity in this part of the world there seems little else to do.

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  15. I support any expansion of the airport including night flights.

    As long as they don't fly over Margate / Westbrook that is.

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  16. Dont live in ramsgate - then shut up

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  17. I am with Peter on this and cant wait for Manstons EXPANSION as for labour they will oppose everything, just out of principle. and Planes over HERNE BAY must have an axe to grind no one I know in Herne Bay has ever noticed the planes.

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  18. Tony well done again straight to the point Labour jumped on a pre election gimmick and have now openly shown they are against Thanet, and also against Job creation.
    It is a simple matter of fact that Airports create jobs they also give residents the opportunity to travel away from nearer home, and what a lovely regional airport Manstonis and could be even better.
    The myth put about falsely by Labour to buy votes is that it is all night flying which is patently untrue, but then Local Labour under Clive Hart's "leadership" is hell bent on keeping Thanet where it is today, depressed and with high dependency on the State.
    The Airport working party visited many Regional Airports and all that the most of the Committee wanted was to honestly show that Manston should be able to operate under the same terms and conditions as other UK Regional Airports, regrettabbly it was chaired by a senior labour Cllr who had to follow his masters voice just prior to the Election.
    Airports need airlines, airlines are thirsty for new routes and new markets, it is a growth industry, growth industries produces jobs,most regional Airports are rail served, so what does our "valiant" Hart and his "crew" do not content with being anti airport they are now also anti an Airport railhead, ie Manston Park Railway station.
    It is the time for truth, the Airport is needed, it should have its shackles removed and operate within the same parameters as other Regional Airports, it should be rail served and then surprise, surprise as 25 07:00 said it will create massive employment and prosperity, but then of course the Labour do nothing be against everything attitutude would lose voters if the area became prosperous.
    Regrettably as always the anti everything voice is the loudest and those who are for job creation and prosperity just get on with their lives, so it is now time that the Infratil Proposal be clearly stated and that the people of Thanet have the opportunity of a Referendum so that a decision is made by the majority of the residents of Thanet.
    This will clearly show that the Local Labour are clearly out of touch, and Thanet can move onwards and upwards with job creationa nd prosperity to the benefit of all.

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  19. Tony
    Take your sour grapes and LibDem fence sitting and shove them where the sun dont shine. Nethercourt and Central Harbour stated loud and clear that they dont want to be sacrificed on the altar of the greater good. Their views alone are valid when it comes to quality of life issues and the airport. Once Infratil get their shoulder hours then they'll push the boundaries even further until we have a plane every few minutes throughout the whole 24 hours. Remenmber Ken Read blew their sums out of the water in the run up to the election. And I don't see any difference in time between the Parkway station (built at huge cost no doubt) and the present Ramsgate Station, except that the latter has the word Ramsgate in it, and of course the Margate Mafia would rather that word disappeared entirely.

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  20. Last time I looked Thanet Labour were led by the Margate mafia with Hart as leader and Iris as the main spokesperson. The Ramsgate contingent like Mike Harrison, who once supported the airport, and Dave Green just toe the party line.

    If there were any real leaders in the Ramsgate group they would have kicked Hart into touch long ago.

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  21. It is the time for truth. Give permission for 24/7 flights and in return the owners of Manston can show their faith in and commitment to the airport by paying for the building of the rail link themselves and not put this debt on the tax payer. Its a private concerned and their shareholders will benefit and must pay for the gamble.
    Other regional airports pay for their own costs. The recent railway station opened at Southend Airport was paid for by the owners.

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  22. 12.39 what a sad person you are nobody is suggesting 24/7 flying, that is another socialist election false statement, get real get the facts and give Thanet a chance to benefit by increased employment bring prosperity, Vote labour stay dependent on the state, vote for Hart and its any ones guess where the "comedian takes us

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  23. I see over on Thanet Lab, the official blogspot of Thanet Labour party, they claim to be 'Your Voice in Troubled Times.' Clearly they have a vested interest in keeping it troubled otherwise they would be nobody's voice.

    Elsewhere, on redthanet, one commenting member of the faithful points out that the gap between rich and poor has got wider since the 1930s. Interestingly enough that's when this country got its first Labour government. Bit like Animal Farm in a way.

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  24. Only and idiot who would believe such ridiculous job creation figures......step forward Tony Flaig, Don and Peter Checksfield!!!

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  25. 12 08 clearly you're an idiot, and probably one of those quiet Labour councillors who sat on the fence over Mark Nottingham to the extent you probally have a plank lodged up your bottom! Not sour grapes reminding those if they need it of Thanet Labours craven U turn attacking jobs and hope.

    On the questions of the Parkway Station, Labour don't get it in the way, they don't get honesty, integrity or common decency of giving a loyal hardworking collegue a fair hearing , how surprising.

    Parkway as a Station offers more convienience than trying to find a parking spot in the back streets of Ramsgate, Margate or Broadstairs.

    Labour seem incredibly stupid, Thanet Labour fought against affordable social housing, on Parkway and Manston they are fighting jobs to keep happy a few Nimbys and Eco-nutters most of whom seem to reside in Herne Bay.

    Nationally even senior Labour party bods have belatedly acknowledge their part in creating a low wage economy based on the exploitation of migrant workers, an issue recently raised locally by Unite but no surprise that Clive Hart and his chums are more preoccupied with the trappings of office than standing up for the vulnerable.

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  26. Anon 08:59, who said I believe the figures? I didn't even read them; I just like winding up the NIMBYs of Ramsgate.

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  27. tony, if you think parking is the problem at ramsgate, broadstairs and margate, do you think that building a new station is the solution? Perhaps trying to resolve the parking issue might be the answer?

    Ramsgate station, for example, has two staff car parks which are underused. One should suffice, opening up a number of spaces.

    The parking land use at Ramsgate is poor and more parking could be easily created from the current space if designed correctly. For example, the car hire place and the 6-lane road. It could be easily redefined to double the parking capacity.

    Finally, ramsgate pool will be closing and moving. This is council land, right next to the station and on the right side of the tracks to shorten the journey to Manston. Surely developing this land to a bus stop and car park could make Manston a few minutes closer and expand parking.

    to top it all, Network Rail are offering money to council who want to expand, improve EXISTING station infrastructure.

    But if you, TDC and KCC think building a manston parkway station in a green field on the fringes of Thanet on the opposite side of the airport to its terminal is a good idea, then you are all 100% idiots.

    Perhaps if you start talking sense, people might vote for you next time.

    then again, they probably wont.

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  28. 2,000 jobs?? Oh yeh. Sure.
    The majic word here is "could" for which you can sure as shooting substitute "won't"
    RyanAir grounding 80% of its planes over the winter due to failure of take up. Most airports losing miney hand over fist...great time to pollute up Thanet with one.
    It's over for air travel. Face it.

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  29. Some "ordinary working people" Tony.
    Include me out.

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  30. Anon 9:38, it is difficult to count you out without knowing who you are.

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  31. Yeh, and I'm Spartacus!

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  32. Disenchanted said: "Elsewhere, on redthanet, one commenting member of the faithful points out that the gap between rich and poor has got wider since the 1930s. Interestingly enough that's when this country got its first Labour government. Bit like Animal Farm in a way."

    Totally skewed the comment I posted, like a typical right wing idiot. You also want to look at your history books. As for the Animal Farm bit: eh? Quote a book written by a socialist if you want but put it in context please.

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  33. OK, anon, attack me if you wish, after all that is what debate is about, but how about some meat on the bones.

    If you commented that the gap between rich and poor had widened since the 1930s how have I skewed that. It is precisely what you wrote.

    Furthermore, why need I check my history. Surely the first Labour government was elected in the 1930s so nothing historically incorrect there.

    I mentioned Animal Farm simply because it illustrates how one wealthier ruling class is always replaced by another whatever the system. I am not interested in the politics of any writer, only what they write.

    One of the problems with so many people on your side of the debate is that you always revert to insults and name calling, so I have to become a right wing idiot. What exactly does that make you?

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  34. OK, anon, attack me if you wish, after all that is what debate is about, but how about some meat on the bones.

    If you commented that the gap between rich and poor had widened since the 1930s how have I skewed that. It is precisely what you wrote.

    Furthermore, why need I check my history. Surely the first Labour government was elected in the 1930s so nothing historically incorrect there.

    I mentioned Animal Farm simply because it illustrates how one wealthier ruling class is always replaced by another whatever the system. I am not interested in the politics of any writer, only what they write.

    One of the problems with so many people on your side of the debate is that you always revert to insults and name calling, so I have to become a right wing idiot. What exactly does that make you?

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  35. I'll help you out, Disenchanted, as you are obviously too polite. He is a left wing c**t.

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  36. Margate looked so good in the Meltdown today, they should turn the town over to the rockers more often.

    I think the area shows every potential for tourism since everywhere else in the UK got pissed on this bank holiday

    The local cafeterias were in no way prepared for the onslaught. I told our chef to employ 4 more waitresses because people were leaving in disgust at the wait times.

    I live in Ramsgate. Only not for much longer if they introduce night flights.

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  37. Well there's your answer then: those who hate the noise of planes can move to Margate, & those who don't mind them can move to Ramsgate. That way everybody's happy.

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  38. Nice one, Peter, but the Ramsgate nimbys who move to Margate will then oppose the new plans for Tesco and Dreamland. That's what they do I am afraid. There must be a remote Scottish island somewhere with nothing but the weather to whinge about!

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