Heathrow to expand two terminals ahead of third runway
Heathrow Airport will confirm a multi-billion pound investment plan to expand its two terminals before submitting a proposal to the government for a third runway this summer.
On Wednesday, CEO Thomas Woldbye will launch funds to increase capacity at Piers Two and Five, reconfigure the airport and improve bus connections.
The plan will be paid in private cash after Prime Minister Rachel Reeves supported a third runway at the UK’s largest airport last month As part of an effort to develop the UK economy.
In a speech at the Scunthorpe plant in British Steel, Mr Woldbye will also sign a deal to build new infrastructure using the company’s steel.
The promise of using steel made in the UK is in Focus on the industry’s impact on tariffs on metals’ impact on U.S. imports, President Donald Trump.
U.S. import taxes could cause steel to be offloaded to the UK at a cheap price and could weaken domestic businesses.
Although detailed plans for the third runway on the UK’s largest airport have not been finalized, construction of Terminal 5, which opened in 2008 requires about 80,000 tons of steel.
On Wednesday, Mr Woldbye will outline the expansion plan ahead of the new runway, which will see upgrades to the terminal building to “enhance the passenger experience and increase resilience and sustainability”.
He will say: “This privately funded program will upgrade existing infrastructure while laying the foundation for the third runway, boosting investment and economic growth in the UK and bringing tangible benefits this year.”
The Prime Minister said the expansion of Heathrow Airport was “muchly needed” and could create 100,000 jobs.
Zengwei An, CEO of British Steel, is the only facility in the country to make major steel. His workers at Scunthorpe and Teeside have an outstanding history of supplying world-class products to projects such as Heathrow’s expansion.”
Gareth Stace, director-general of the steel industry agency UK Steel, added that Heathrow’s commitment to using steel made in China is “a major vote of confidence in British steel manufacturing and British businesses”.
The expansion of Heathrow Airport is highly controversial and faces opposition from environmental groups, some politicians, local authorities and nearby residents.
Some people think that the third runway will take longer than a decade to become a reality.
A formal planning process must be carried out, which can take between 18 months and two years. Any judicial review of the plan could take a year and a half, while actual construction could take seven years.
Reeves said she wanted to see Before 2029, the plane will start using the runway by 2035. But Mr. Waldby had previously warned that the project would take years and would require “Churchillia’s determination” to deliver.
In his speech, the owner of Heathrow Airport said that the airport’s expansion plan will be formulated with “strict environmental protection.”
He will add: “It’s simple to continue if we comply with the rules of noise, air quality and carbon…
“I want to assure you that we are committed to listening and working with the local community to provide them with the certainty they deserve, ending years of skepticism.”
Heathrow currently processes £200 billion worth of transactions per year and provides a key avenue for exports, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
But Heathrow’s infrastructure is tight: Last year, it was a record 83.9 million passengers passing through its terminal, with its two runways handling about 1,300 landings and takeoffs a day.
Currently, the maximum annual flights from the airport are 480,000, which is actually meeting this limit. The third runway may increase the number of allowed flights to 720,000.
