Third runway access costs dismissed

The Government does not accept Transport for London’s potential costs for surface access provision for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, according to Transport Minister John Hayes.

TfL predicted in its Landing the Right Airport March 2016 report that upgrades to surface access will cost between £15 billion and £20bn, and Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrats, Richmond Park) had asked in a Commons Written Question what assessment Government has made regarding the implications of policies on the financial viability of the runway. 

“The surface access plan is expected to include schemes which are already under way and which benefit the airport, such as Crossrail, which are already funded; schemes which are needed solely for the airport to expand, which Heathrow Airport will fund; and schemes which benefit the airport and the wider public, where funding will be considered separately,” said Hayes.