World
Andy Burnham avoided backing a third runway at Heathrow as the plan faces delays
The British prime minister said he will wait for the outcome of the consultation on the expansion of London’s airport. Heathrow already admits the project, originally scheduled for 2035, may not be ready before 2039.
Andy Burnham declined to confirm whether he supports building a third runway at Heathrow, amid fresh delays to a project valued at 33,000 million pounds.
According to the BBC, the prime minister said he wants to hear first from people living in the affected area before taking a position. He also noted that there are differing views on the initiative and that those opinions must be taken into account before a decision is made.
The expansion of London’s main airport had been promoted by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves with the goal of having it ready in 2035. However, Heathrow acknowledged this weekend that that deadline could be pushed back to 2039. Both the BBC and The Guardian said the airport now expects to secure planning permission in 2029 and open the runway within the following decade.
Burnham had already opposed the project when he was mayor of Greater Manchester, arguing that it could delay transport investment in the north of England. As prime minister, he has been more cautious and has avoided taking a direct position.
The project faces resistance from environmental groups, residents and London Mayor Sadiq Khan. The new runway would require demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers and relocating a stretch of the M25 motorway through a tunnel.
At the same time, its supporters say it would create 100,000 jobs and provide a major boost to the British economy. The BBC said the number of flights could rise from the current cap of 480,000 a year to 720,000. The Guardian, meanwhile, reported that capacity would increase to 756,000 operations per year.
Heathrow responded that it agrees local communities must be heard and said, according to the BBC, that surveys over the past decade show support for the expansion. The Guardian added that the company presents the project as a nationally significant initiative financed entirely by private funds.
The Unite and GMB unions backed the proposal. The BBC quoted Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, who said the third runway is essential and linked it to unionized jobs and demand for British steel. The Guardian added that GMB urged the government to remove planning obstacles and linked the plan to 108,000 jobs.
The British Department for Transport said the timetable was always ambitious and that it will continue working with the parties involved. According to The Guardian, the department also stressed that there is currently no active planning application for the third runway.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not do its own reporting on this event.
