Latest news with #thirdRunway
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Mixed reactions in Datchet to Heathrow expansion plans
Plans to expand Heathrow Airport have been met with mixed reaction from revealed details of the £49b expansion and modernisation plan, which includes the creation of a third runway, addition of a new terminal, and diversion of the M25, which would require a new road tunnel under the Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, said expansion was "urgent".Some residents of Datchet, Berkshire, which is underneath the flight path, welcomed the news, but others said they were worried about noise and congestion. Chris Byrne acknowledged the works would be "extensive" but said the expansion was necessary."I fully understand and appreciate that change is really really inconvenient," he said."What's been announced today is just really a significant, major public infrastructure works that's going to go on for years and I'm sure the disruption's going to be extensive.""[But] we rely on transport for the economy."He said there were pros and cons to it."From my personal perspective of additional noise, if that were to be the case I'd be very unhappy about it, but we did choose to live here," he said. But Charmian Davies said the noise was already a problem."When they're landing I get this whizzing noise... when I moved here I knew what the problem would be, but it is one after the other," she said."It's bearable at the moment but another runway... also, there's congestion."I don't know how people will even get to the airport."If you try and get there even in the middle of the night its busy, but imagine when there's another runway and more thousands of people in the area trying to get there - I just can't see the logic of it all." Zena Coccaro said the noise was "bad enough as it is", adding she "didn't want any more"."I don't think its a good idea, personally," she said."The congestion around here will be terrible... OK, it might give us more employment or whatever, but there's a lot of employment around the Slough area as it is, we're not short of employment round here." But Mengala Janakarajah said the expansion was necessary."We travel a heck of a lot and we need to expand," she said."It's no point us saying 'yes, we'll have a vacation every year, a foreign vacation' and then we don't have the facilities to have the planes come in and out."Parameswaren Blasubramenim agreed."I think we need a big airport," he said."It's always congested so I think it'll be good to have the airport" You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Al Arabiya
01-08-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Heathrow unveils £49 bn expansion plan for third runway
London's Heathrow Airport on Friday unveiled a £49 billion ($65 billion) expansion plan, including the costs of building a long-awaited third runway, approved by the UK government after years of legal wrangling. The runway would cost £21 billion, with flights expected to take off within a decade, while the rest of the privately funded investment will go toward expanding and modernizing the airport. Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport by passenger numbers, said the expansion would provide at least 30 new daily routes, more domestic connections and improved flight times. The increased capacity would almost double the number of annual passengers from 84 million currently to up to 150 million passengers annually. 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow,' said chief executive Thomas Woldbye. 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity,' he added. Despite fierce opposition from environmentalists and local residents, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and some Labour MPs, the Labour government backed the new runway in January in a bid to boost UK economic growth. It would be a rare expansion in Europe, where countries are split between efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the needs of a strategic sector that has seen demand grow. Heathrow has submitted its proposal for the 3,500-meter runway to the UK government, which has also invited a rival proposal. Heathrow's proposal includes £12 billion to fund a new terminal and £15 billion for modernization. 'A third runway and supporting infrastructure can be ready within a decade, and the full investment across all terminals would take place over the coming decades,' Heathrow said in a statement. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is determined to deliver major infrastructure projects to revive the UK economy that has struggled to take off since the party came to power a year ago. The government is expected to also back expansion at Gatwick Airport, south of the capital, in October — having recently approved upgrades to London's Stansted, Luton and City airports. Britain's Supreme Court ruled at the end of 2020 that Heathrow could build the third runway, overturning a legal decision to block construction on environmental grounds. Local residents 'will see their lives put on hold for a few more years while more money and time is wasted on a doomed scheme,' said Douglas Parr, policy director for Greenpeace UK. He added the plans 'export more tourism wealth out of the UK in the most polluting way possible.' Arora Group, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, on Thursday said it will submit a rival bid to build a shorter third runway, promising lower costs and less disruption to local residents and the environment. 'This is the first time the government has invited a competing proposal for Heathrow expansion,' the UK-based property and hotel firm said in a statement. British Airways owner IAG's chief executive Luis Gallego said the rival bid was 'credible' as the group announced its net profit jumped 44 percent to 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in the first six months of the year on 'strong demand.' 'We always think that competition is good to improve things, and we have seen that in commercial aviation in the past,' he added. Airport-owner Heathrow's latest investment proposal comes in addition to plans to invest £10 billion over the next five years in upgrades to boost passenger numbers, which would be largely funded by higher charges on airlines.
Arabian Business
01-08-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
London Heathrow submits $65bn proposal to UK government for a third runway
London Heathrow Airport will be able to add 276,000 flights a year and increase the number of passengers from 84 million to 150 million annually after submitting a £49 billion ($65 billion) expansion proposal to the UK government. The plan includes the construction of the controversial third runway at a cost of £21 billion, a new terminal and re-routing the M25, the major highway that circles London. Heathrow expansion The proposal includes £12 billion to fund a new terminal and £15 billion for modernisation. The airport said the expansion would provide at least 30 new daily routes, more domestic connections and improved flight times. The runway would be privately funded. Terminal 2 would be extended as per the plan, while Terminal 3 – where Emirates flights operate from – and the old Terminal 1 would be demolished. Thomas Woldbye, chief executive, said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity.' The expansion would require demolishing 752 homes in the surrounding area to make room for the third runway, as well as realigning and widening the M25 between the junctions at the airport. The project would also improve public transport links to the hub by expanding bus and rail capacity. In a statement, Heathrow said: 'A third runway and supporting infrastructure can be ready within a decade, and the full investment across all terminals would take place over the coming decades.' The Labour government backed the new runway in January in a bid to boost UK economic growth. The project has faced opposition from environmentalists and local residents over the years, as well as the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and some of Labour's own MPs. Britain's Supreme Court ruled at the end of 2020 that Heathrow could build the third runway, overturning a legal decision to block construction on environmental grounds. Meanwhile, hotelier Surinder Arora's Arora Group, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, said it will submit a rival bid to build a shorter third runway of 2,800 meters, that would be constructed at lower costs and with less disruption to local residents and the environment.
The Independent
01-08-2025
- Business
- The Independent
What you need to know about Heathrow Airport's £21bn expansion plans
Heathrow Airport has submitted plans for a third runway, with the runway and airfield estimated to cost £21 billion, and the overall project £49 billion. The proposed expansion aims to significantly increase annual flight capacity to 756,000 and passenger numbers to 150 million, necessitating a new 3,500-metre runway and the tunnelling of the M25 motorway. Heathrow anticipates securing planning consent by 2029, with the new runway becoming operational within a decade of approval. Proponents, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves and easyJet, argue the expansion will boost investment, trade, create jobs, and potentially lead to lower airfares. The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, and environmental organisations like Friends of the Earth oppose the plans, citing concerns over noise, air pollution, and the UK 's climate change commitments.
The Independent
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Billionaire hotel tycoon reveals Heathrow Airport expansion bid with ‘shorter' third runway
A potential Heathrow Airport expansion could see a third runway added, but much shorter than previous proposals. Hotel tycoon Surinder Arora has published the plan which rivals a proposal from the airport's owners. The billionaire's Arora Group said the 'primary benefit' of the plan it submitted to the government is a shorter new runway which would avoid the costly and disruptive need to divert the M25 motorway. Building a 2,800-metre third runway instead of the full-length 3,500-metre runway planned by the airport would result in 'reduced risk' and avoid 'spiralling cost', the company said. A shorter runway could have limits on its use, although Arora Group insisted it would be able to accommodate aircraft of all sizes. Arora Group's Heathrow West proposal states the new runway could be fully operational by 2035, while a new terminal would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040. The plan, developed with infrastructure company Bechtel, has a cost estimate of under £25 billion, not including the redevelopment of the airport's existing central area. Mr Arora, who is one of the largest landowners at Heathrow, said: 'After a decade working with our world-leading design and delivery team, I am very proud that the Arora Group can finally unveil to the UK government our Heathrow West proposal, which directly meets and supports the United Kingdom's primary objective of unlocking economic growth at the UK's only hub airport, with a strong commitment of doing so on-budget and on-time. 'The Arora Group has a proven track record of delivering on-time and on-budget projects including in and around Heathrow airport. 'We are delighted that the government has taken a common-sense approach to invite proposals from all interested parties for the very first time rather than granting exclusivity to the current airport operator, no matter its track record.' Mr Arora has repeatedly accused the airport of wasting money. In December 2024, French company Ardian completed a deal to become Heathrow's largest shareholder with a 23% stake, while Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund purchased a 15% share. Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave her backing for a third runway in a speech on growth in January. Heathrow will submit its own expansion plan to the government on Thursday. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander will then review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision-making on any Development Consent Order application. Heathrow is understood to be open to a discussion with airlines about building a shorter runway if it can deliver the same benefits. The airport declined to comment on the Arora Group's proposal.
