The chief executive of Heathrow has voiced his frustration over the uncertainty surrounding the airport's expansion plans, after Andy Burnham stopped short of backing the project.
Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye expressed his hope that the Prime Minister would lend his support to the scheme, stating "it would be good to know where Government is on this". He warned that without a firm commitment to building a new runway, investment could be diverted abroad.
Burnham's stance on the third runway
Before Mr Burnham became PM, his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer and then-chancellor Rachel Reeves had both pledged their support for the construction of a third runway at the UK's busiest airport. However, Mr Burnham has declined to confirm his backing, indicating the matter remains subject to consultation and the planning process.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Woldbye said: "The most important thing here is what this project delivers for the UK, and I think seeing that, I hope the Prime Minister will come along."
Economic boost and apprenticeships
He argued the project would deliver a "huge economic boost" and create opportunities including apprenticeships, which align with "the priorities that this Government has set out".
Mr Woldbye described the process as "ongoing", adding: "When we get to the end of those processes, which will be sometimes towards the end of the year, it would be good to know where Government is on this."
Risk of investment going abroad
He further warned that the £33 billion scheme's planned investment risked being lost overseas in the absence of greater certainty. "Our private investors, if they cannot invest in Heathrow which they own, they don't own any other airports in the UK, and there is no project like a Heathrow expansion, then that money will be invested somewhere else in the world, maybe in a motorway in Spain or a hospital in Italy," he said.
Heathrow anticipates submitting a formal planning application "in the next couple of years", he added.
"Right now the discussion with by far most of the people I speak to is not so much about if we're going to do this, but more how we're going to do it and get all the factors right. I hope we can stay on that path because I think it is really, really important for the UK to get this project built."
