Press reports reveal that transport secretary Stephen Byers is considering a plan to build a new London airport with up to four runways on a marshland site at Cliffe, east of London on the Kent side of the Thames estuary.

Forum Response: Freedom to Fly

A spokesperson for Freedom to Fly told ePolitix.com: "Consideration of these options is recognition of the need to plan ahead to cope with rising demand for air travel. With demand officially forecast to double within the next 20 years, it is right that the government should consider a wide range of options."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

A spokesperson for the Institute of Directors told ePolitix.com: "With air traffic set to soar over the coming decade, London badly needs increased airport capacity if it is to compete with Paris and Frankfurt.

"While, of course, there are environmental considerations, a new airport would be of tremendous economic advantage to the whole south east of England."