Private or Public ???
we request your help
It may seem trivial and petty to oppose the diversion of a footpath alongside a brook that few people use. However such efforts yield unexpected results.
The Airport was forced to reveal some of its plans that it would rather have kept to itself. For example they are planning the use of Boeing 757 aircraft carrying 289 passengers. If you think an A319 is noisy wait till you hear a Boeing 757. There are also plans for even more industrial development in this area including another entry into the Airport.
A new broom the CAA is now responsible for airport security and the Airport is desperate to prevent them discovering how bad it is at Southend. They are trying to use road traffic law to divert the footpath to close a small gap in security rather than aviation security law.
The correct law will result in a parliamentary committee hearing the evidence for and against. The Airport will stress that it is for the safety of passengers. We will say if safety is the issue what about the risks to passenger from all the obstructions around the approaches and how about the safety of people on the ground?
To make this happen we had to stop them succeeding using the road traffic law. We believe we have been able to do it by proving that Aviation Way is a Public Highway not a private road as they claim, and they cannot lawfully divert the path onto it. If we succeed they will be forced to use the security law and we will get the parliamentary investigation that will reveal the truth.
This is where we need your help
You can help by filling out our questionnaire that will be forwarded to the inspector to bolster our case. If a road has been in uninterrupted use for 20 years or more it becomes a public right of way by common law and thus a Public Highway. A rejection of the application using road traffic law will force them to use aviation security law and get the parliamentary investigation that we need.
(link) Minister advises london southend airport how to avoid independent scrutiny of its airside securty
Also at the above link you will find a more detailed report of the public inquiry.