How are Heathrow’s plans for a 3rd runway coming along?…
There are still “a number of serious hurdles to overcome” before Heathrow could consider a 3rd runway. There are the inevitable impacts on the UK’s net zero, noise, air quality and road congestion, which remain serious and although surface transport decarbonisation is advancing, so-called ‘jet zero’ is some way behind (or probably impossible). The Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) approving the policy of Heathrow expansion (eventually cleared by the Supreme Court) is nearly 5 years old and calls to revisit it are growing. Meanwhile, other airports are getting on with their expansion plans which mean that any carbon allocation for airports is getting used up at Heathrow’s expense, so it will get left behind. ie. Bristol, Southampton, Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Manston. Despite the ANP win, the £14bn expansion plans have remained frozen due to Covid, and Heathrow’s lack of available funds. In March 2021 the airport put its £900M T5 rail link on “controlled pause”, citing lack of funds. But in May 2022, Heathrow resumed purchasing houses in proximity to the proposed site. .Tweet What’s next for paused Heathrow Airport expansion? 14 FEB, 2023 BY CATHERINE MOORE (NCE) With continued debate over Heathrow’s paused expansion plans and a new chief executive soon to be appointed, NCE takes a look at what the future might hold for the airport and its proposed third runway. Plans to expand Heathrow with a third runway remain on ice after being paused during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the airport’s current chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said that his successor should be focused on delivering that project. Last year, Virgin Atlantic pulled its support for the third runway in a blow to supporters of the expansion project but Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has said the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened the strategic case for expansion. NCE understands that talks have taken place between HAL officials and legal representatives
