Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said it would be good to know the government’s stance on this.
Heathrow’s chief executive has expressed his frustration at the uncertainty surrounding the airport’s expansion plans, after Andy Burnham stopped backing the project.
Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye expressed his hope that the Prime Minister would support the plan, saying “it’s good to know what this government is doing”.
He warned that without a firm commitment to building new runways, investment could be diverted abroad.
Before Mr Burnham became PM, his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves had pledged to support the construction of a third runway at Britain’s busiest airport.
However, Mr Burnham declined to confirm his support, indicating the matter remains subject to the consultation and planning process.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Woldbye said: “The most important thing here is what this project brings to the UK, and I think if we look at it, I hope the Prime Minister will come.”
He said the project would provide a “huge economic boost” and create opportunities including apprenticeships, which are in line with “the priorities this Government has set”.
Mr Woldbye described the process as “ongoing”, adding: “When we get to the end of the process, which will sometimes be at the end of the year, it will be good to know what this government is up to.”
He further warned that £33 billion of planned investment risked being lost overseas if there was no certainty. “Our private investors, if they can’t invest in Heathrow that they have, they don’t have another airport in England, and there is no project like Heathrow expansion, so the money will be invested elsewhere in the world, maybe in a motorway in Spain or a hospital in Italy,” he said.
Heathrow expects to submit a formal planning application “in the next few years”, he added.
“Now, the discussion with most of the people I talk to is not only about what to do, but more about how to do it and solve all the factors.
“I hope we can stay on that path because I think it’s very important for the UK that this project gets built.”