True cost of Heathrow third runway must be revealed, say MPs

The true cost to the public of building a third runway at Heathrow has not been spelled out to taxpayers, according to a cross-party group of MPs, who warn that domestic flight connections and other transport spending will be jeopardised.

Justine Greening, who quit Theresa May’s cabinet in January, is among the MPs calling on the government to clarify what backing expansion at the London hub airport would mean, saying: “The transport secretary has a duty to spell out the true costs for taxpayers – and to be realistic about the benefits.”

In a letter to the Guardian, MPs and councils around Heathrow warn that promised domestic flight connections would only work with state subsidies that could not be guaranteed in perpetuity.

Additionally, more than £10bn in additional rail and road spending to support a bigger airport would be laid on the public purse, they say. “What is certain is that taxpayers everywhere – including those living hundreds of miles away from the south-east – will all be paying for the expansion.”

Other signatories include Conservative and Labour MPs in west London constituencies, the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, and councils led by Richmond.

Source: theguardian