Planned surface transport improvements to Heathrow lack detail and there is uncertainty over who will pay for road and rail upgrades, Labour’s front bench claimed during the Parliamentary debate on Monday 25 June expanding the west London airport.

 

In the end, MPs voted 415 to 119 in favour of approving a National Policy Statement on new runway capacity. But not before Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald remarked: “Astonishingly, there are no details or costings on the upgrades to the M25 and the wider transport system in London and around the airport that are required for expansion.”

 

Transport for London, he added, estimates that between £10Bn and £15Bn is required for new surface access, whereas Heathrow and the Airports Commission say the figure will be closer to £5Bn. “So what is the correct figure? The absence of clear proposals, projections and costs in relation to surface access are a major failing of the revised NPS.”

 

Transport Minister, Jesse Norman told the House: “Heathrow will pay for any surface access works that are essential to the delivery of the airport expansion. That includes work on the M25, the A4 and the A3044. It will also pay its fair share of the cost of any new rail connections.”

 

He listed several schemes that promise improved access to Heathrow, such as the Elizabeth Line to central London, the planned western and southern rail links and an interchange at Old Oak Common, allowing access via High Speed 2 from the Midlands and the North.

 

But two MPs spoke up for expanding aviation operations at Birmingham Airport and developing improved rail links from there to London, rather than expand Heathrow.

 

Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North, Independent) said Birmingham has “at least 50% spare capacity” and proposed a “rapid rail service between Heathrow and Birmingham in a hub-satellite relationship”.

 

Liam Byrne (Birmingham Hodge Hill, Labour) added that Birmingham Airport “could take 17M extra flights now” and that capacity could be unlocked by building a high speed rail loop. He said: “Should we not look again at using high speed rail to unlock capacity we already have rather than bring forward a proposal that will drain 43,000 flights from our airport?”

 

Several MPs voiced concerns over more traffic and reduced air quality associated with increased activity at Heathrow. Among them was Ruth Cadbury (Brentford & Isleworth, Labour) who remarked: “There is nothing in the NPS to justify how Heathrow can get away with saying there will be no new traffic despite 50% more passengers, a doubling of cargo and additional flight servicing and staffing.

 

“Our roads system has ground to a halt and our air quality has already been in breach of EU limits for many years. The Government will continue to lose legal challenges as a result.”

 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said last week that if the vote in Parliament went in favour of a third runway he would join in with legal action brought by local authorities.

 

He said: “For the sake of Londoners affected by poor air quality, disruption from noise and the costs needed to improve transport connections I will do what I can to stop these poor plans.”

 

Following the MPs’ vote in favour of expansion, Heathrow Airport said it will now prepare an application for development consent which will see construction begin in 2021. The third runway is set to open in 2026.

 

The airport’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “Parliament has ended 50 years of debate by deciding that Heathrow expansion will go ahead. This vote will see us deliver more jobs, create a lasting legacy of skills for future generations and guarantee expansion is delivered responsibly.”

 

On the subject of Heathrow surface access, CIHT said in response to a public consultation in March that it supports a commitment that an expanded airport would not lead to an overall increase in traffic on the ground. But it also said the airport’s ambition to be public transport focused will be difficult to achieve.

CIHT said it strongly supports road user charging around the airport and use of a car share scheme for employees, but called for specific targets and dedicated facilities such as secure cycle parking. With regards to repositioning the M25 to make way for the new runway, it said the major undertaking would require high levels of engagement with industry partners to ensure that the process takes place smoothly.