Government outlines next steps for delivering airport expansion

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP has today (24 October 2017) set out the next stage of delivering a third runway at Heathrow Airport.The government is on track to publish final proposals for expansion at Heathrow in the first half of 2018 for a vote in Parliament.Now the public have until 19 December to consider and respond to new evidence in the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement, including long term aviation forecasts and the new government National air quality plan.Once MPs approve the final document, it will set the planning policy framework which the airport needs in order to bring forward a planning application for the new north-west runway.An expanded Heathrow Airport would be more accessible to the rest of the country thanks to HS2, Crossrail and at least 6 more domestic flight routes.Key benefits of a new Heathrow runway are expected to be:-a £74 billion benefit to passengers and the wider UK economy over 60 years-tens of thousands of additional local jobs by 2030-additional 260,000 flights a year, with an extra 16 million long haul seats for passengers travelling from UK airports in 2040-reduced fares, fewer delays and more daily destinations for passengers