Heathrow seeks business cases for construction of new runway

DOZENS of companies have been invited to put forward ideas on how to deliver the expansion of Heathrow, the airport has announced.

More than 150 submissions have been made covering sustainability, retail and other areas as Heathrow gears up to build a new runway.

More than 86% of the expressions of interest came from companies outside Heathrow’s current supply chain.

A list of 37 companies has been compiled to progress to the next round, with eight weeks to bring forward business cases to pitch to the airport’s top executives.

Emma Gilthorpe, executive director of Heathrow Expansion, said: “Parliament has entrusted us with the job of delivering Britain’s new runway, in a way that benefits the whole of the country and our neighbours.

“These are steadfast commitments we place on ourselves also.”

Ms Gilthorpe added: “Our Innovation Partner Process is further evidence of us wanting to work with anyone who wants to legitimately challenge our way of thinking and work with us.”

Heathrow argues that a new runway will have a direct impact on Wales, boosting the Welsh economy by up to £6.2bn and adding up to 8,400 jobs.

It is hoped that a proposed “spur” from the Great Western Line at Reading to Heathrow would allow people to make the journey from Cardiff to the airport in under two hours.

Back in 2012, former First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the plan to link the Great Western rail line and the airport was “one of the most important announcements in the last 50 years”.