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BRITAIN’S biggest airport has closed one of its two runways following a collapse in air traffic during the pandemic.

Heathrow’s southern runway closed at midnight last night and will not fully reopen until October.

This will be less than a week before the Supreme Court delivers its decision on the airport’s appeal for a third runway.

Airport bosses said the time will be used to carry out repairs while passenger numbers remain low.

In normal times, Heathrow’s two runways will handle 1,300 take-offs and landings every day.

But the pandemic is likely lead to a longterm fall in passenger numbers, with airlines flying reduced schedules for months or even years. Anti-expansion groups said the switch to single-runway operations shows a third runway is not a priority.