> Ministers have backed Heathrow airport’s £49bn proposal to build a new runway across the M25 motorway, in spite of warnings from airlines that the project will make the airport significantly more expensive. They rejected an alternative proposal from hotelier Surinder Arora for a shorter runway that would have cost less and avoided moving the M25, according to four people with knowledge of the process.
> The UK government’s decision will be announced by transport secretary Heidi Alexander on Tuesday.
She is expected to leave the door open to other companies building and operating terminals at the airport, however, something that would allow the Arora group to pursue its own building at the site and would drive competition within the airport, the people added. Ministers have not explicitly picked Heathrow to build the new runway, leaving the door open to other companies bidding for the work, the people also said.
> Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have lobbied hard against Heathrow’s plan over concerns that spiralling costs would have to be recouped through higher landing charges. This month, BA chief executive Sean Doyle called on ministers to “avoid moving the M25”. He added: “I think we should look at ways of potentially building a shorter runway.” BA, which is Heathrow’s largest customer, has never publicly backed Arora’s proposal. The Department for Transport said it did not comment on speculation. Arora and Heathrow declined to comment.
It’s nice they have the NIMBY’s something concrete to aim for.
How long before this becomes £150bn and 5 years late?
Madness, cut losses and find a new site. The same as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong have done. For £49bn I’m pretty sure a new airport could be built elsewhere with rail and road connectivity.
> Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have lobbied hard against Heathrow’s plan
Well they would, wouldn’t they.
Having Heathrow airport West of London with runways running East to West so planes need to fly right over central London was a massive planning error.
that makes HS2 look cheap.
To be fair though, i wouldn’t trust anything surinder aurora says.
moving the m25 is gonna be so good, seeing infrastructure changing before our eyes is so beautiful, can’t wait to drive it when it opens
It’s funny how BA and Virgin are trying to pull the fees card when what they are actually against is greater competition from other airlines.
More runway = more flights = more competition with the domestic carriers. No wonder they are pissed and coming up with some bs arguments not to build an extension.
Build baby build
i hope my great great grandchildren will be there when they start construction 🥲
>Heathrow said it would cost £21bn to build the third runway, which includes procuring the land, changing the M25 and other associated infrastructure costs while building the new terminal would be £12bn and modernising the current airport’s infrastructure £15bn. Due to rounding, it will total £49bn.
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> Ministers have backed Heathrow airport’s £49bn proposal to build a new runway across the M25 motorway, in spite of warnings from airlines that the project will make the airport significantly more expensive. They rejected an alternative proposal from hotelier Surinder Arora for a shorter runway that would have cost less and avoided moving the M25, according to four people with knowledge of the process.
> The UK government’s decision will be announced by transport secretary Heidi Alexander on Tuesday.
She is expected to leave the door open to other companies building and operating terminals at the airport, however, something that would allow the Arora group to pursue its own building at the site and would drive competition within the airport, the people added. Ministers have not explicitly picked Heathrow to build the new runway, leaving the door open to other companies bidding for the work, the people also said.
> Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have lobbied hard against Heathrow’s plan over concerns that spiralling costs would have to be recouped through higher landing charges. This month, BA chief executive Sean Doyle called on ministers to “avoid moving the M25”. He added: “I think we should look at ways of potentially building a shorter runway.” BA, which is Heathrow’s largest customer, has never publicly backed Arora’s proposal. The Department for Transport said it did not comment on speculation. Arora and Heathrow declined to comment.
It’s nice they have the NIMBY’s something concrete to aim for.
How long before this becomes £150bn and 5 years late?
Madness, cut losses and find a new site. The same as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong have done. For £49bn I’m pretty sure a new airport could be built elsewhere with rail and road connectivity.
> Airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have lobbied hard against Heathrow’s plan
Well they would, wouldn’t they.
Having Heathrow airport West of London with runways running East to West so planes need to fly right over central London was a massive planning error.
that makes HS2 look cheap.
To be fair though, i wouldn’t trust anything surinder aurora says.
moving the m25 is gonna be so good, seeing infrastructure changing before our eyes is so beautiful, can’t wait to drive it when it opens
It’s funny how BA and Virgin are trying to pull the fees card when what they are actually against is greater competition from other airlines.
More runway = more flights = more competition with the domestic carriers. No wonder they are pissed and coming up with some bs arguments not to build an extension.
Build baby build
i hope my great great grandchildren will be there when they start construction 🥲
>Heathrow said it would cost £21bn to build the third runway, which includes procuring the land, changing the M25 and other associated infrastructure costs while building the new terminal would be £12bn and modernising the current airport’s infrastructure £15bn. Due to rounding, it will total £49bn.
From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6yz77nlw4o
Worth pointing out that £49bn was £31bn in 2010 adjusting for inflation, £38bn in 2020.
£49 billion is an obscene amount of money. No doubt lots of people are getting a cut…..wink, wink
£49 billion!? – is the runway made of solid gold?
Insane cost, the Chinese literally built entire airports with 6 runways and terminals for less
Runways are obviously I lot more complicated than I think.
49 *billion*? Jeez…..
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