Heathrow could get raised runway (with tunnel for the M25)

The M25 could be moved into a tunnel below a third heathrow runway, under plans published today.

They would see the motorway shifted 150 metres west – and lowered by seven metres.

The runway would be raised between three and five metres, and pass overhead.

The consultation document also suggests the runway could be cut by 300 metres to 3,200 metres long. however, it does not set out exact flight paths informing residents where noise will be concentrated.

MPs are expected to vote on the plans – first proposed as long ago as 2003 – later this year.

The airport expects the total cost to be around £14billion, some £2.8billion less than originally suggested.

Work would begin in 2021 and the runway open in 2025. The new plans would, for the most part, allow the motorway to remain open as the new section is being built, reducing congestion, airport officials said. Previous reports had suggested the runway would merely form a bridge over the motorway.

Planners have also set out suggestions for changes to terminals. Terminal 2 could be extended to the east, Terminal 5 to the west or a new ‘satellite’ could be built near the runway.

heathrow said it wanted to hear the public’s views. emma Gilthorpe, its executive director of expansion said: ‘We need feedback to help deliver this opportunity responsibly and to create a long-term legacy both at a local and national level.’

If the scheme is approved, heathrow will submit a planning application after consulting local communities. John Stewart, chairman of anti-heathrow expansion group hacan, said: ‘ We welcome the chance to shape the new flight paths rather than have them imposed.’

Virgin Atlantic chief executive Craig Kreeger said he will scrutinise proposals to ‘ensure they enable more competition’ and do not prioritise the airport’s largest carrier, British Airways.

The third runway was due to cost about £16.8 billion, but heathrow claims it can complete the project for £14 billion. The airport insists that landing charges – currently around £22 per passenger – will remain ‘close to today’s levels’. Airlines had expressed concerns that the fees could be hiked to fund works.

Willie Walsh, the boss of British Airways’ parent company IAG, has urged the Government to make heathrow provide a detailed breakdown of its costs to ensure passengers are not ripped off. After years of setbacks, the Department for Transport says it is on track to publish final proposals in the first half of the year ready for a vote in Parliament.

‘Create a long-term legacy’