UK: Heathrow confident of getting its new runway past parliament

London Heathrow is putting the champagne on ice in anticipation of final approval for the new runway it’s been seeking for decades after a poll showed the plan has the overwhelming backing of lawmakers. The company survey suggests the US$22b project is supported by 75% of parliamentarians, CE John Holland-Kaye said Tuesday. The House of Commons will be asked to approve the plan in the form of a national policy statement before its summer break. Europe’s busiest hub appears to be finally closing in on a third landing strip that would lift annual capacity to 135m travellers, putting it on a par with rival European airports that have multiple runways. After years of false dawns the plan was backed by the govt in 2016 and has gathered momentum following the Brexit vote. <br/>