Heathrow expects third runway take offs in 10 years

Heathrow Airport has confirmed a multi-billion pound investment plan to expand two of its terminals ahead of submitting proposals for a third runway to the government this summer. Heathrow Airport CE Thomas Woldbye said he wants planes to take off from its new third runway before the end of the next parliament, which could be ten years or fewer. The plans, which will be paid for with private cash, come after Chancellor Rachel Reeves backed a third runway at the UK's largest airport last month as part of efforts to grow the UK economy. Reeves' decision to back Heathrow's expansion has angered campaigners and members of her party who oppose it on environmental grounds. During his speech at British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, Mr Woldbye signed a pact to use UK steel to build new infrastructure. He also revealed funding to increase capacity at terminals two and five, and plans to reconfigure the airfield and improve bus connections. The commitment to use UK-made steel comes amid concern in the industry over the impact of tariffs being placed on imports of the metal to the US by President Donald Trump. The US import taxes could lead to excess steel being offloaded to the UK at cheaper prices, with the potential to undercut domestic businesses. While the detailed plans for a third runway at the UK's largest airport, are yet to be finalised, the construction of terminal five, which opened in 2008, required some 80,000 tonnes of steel.<br/>