Heathrow Airport's proposed third runway expansion, backed by the government last year, could result in the world's most expensive car parking, with costs estimated at up to £76,000 per space, according to a leaked document. The £49 billion project aims to increase annual flights from 480,000 to 756,000 and serve up to 150 million passengers.
The plans include consolidating 20 existing car parks into two multi-storey facilities holding 36,000 vehicles. Heathrow officially states the car park construction will cost £1.3 billion, equating to £36,000 per space. However, a leaked paper shared with The Times suggests the true cost could be £2.6 billion, or £76,000 per space.
Heathrow has denied the leaked figures, calling them a 'misrepresentation of the facts'. A spokesperson said: 'Our proposal includes an estimated construction cost of £1.3 billion that would combine 20 current car parks into two dedicated parkways either side of the airport.' The airport also plans to overhaul passenger transport and add new parking, drop-off and bus facilities at Terminal 5.
The expansion is seen as critical for Heathrow to maintain its status as Europe's busiest airport. CEO Mr Woldbye warned: 'We remain Europe's largest airport, but latest figures show we may lose that position in 2026.' Last year, 84.5 million passengers passed through Heathrow, narrowly ahead of Istanbul's 84.4 million.
The RAC recently reported that Heathrow and Gatwick are among the most expensive airports for 'kiss and fly' drop-offs, charging £6 and £7 respectively for a few minutes' parking.
