Heathrow to reveal proposal for shortened third runway in cost cutting exercise

Heathrow was set to unveil its new proposal for a shorter and cheaper third runway in an effort to push through its £15bn expansion plans.

Heathrow airport, Europe's busiest travel hub, would propose a reduction of 300m in the length of the new north-western runway, a scheme signed off on by Downing Street, in an attempt to cut the project's costs.

While Number 10 had given Heathrow its support for the extension, the government also warned the airport that any developments to the ground should not result in higher charges for airlines, which could then be expected to pass the costs on to passengers.

The shorter runway would still necessitate the M25, Britain's busiest motorway, to be moved 150 metres to the west in a shallower tunnel under a slightly ramped runway.

Heathrow's proposals, including whether the shorter runway would lie to the western or eastern end of the proposed full-length 3.5km runway, was slated to be presented to the public in 40 events over a ten-week long consultation.

Emma Gilthorpe, Heathrow's executive director for expansion, said, "We need feedback to help deliver this opportunity responsibly and to create a long-term legacy both at a local and national level. Heathrow is consulting to ensure that we deliver benefits for our passengers, businesses across the country but also, importantly, for those neighbours closest to us."

Opponents of the expansion reacted with scepticism to news of the new proposal, saying any significant changes could result in significant legal action.

John Stewart, chair of the anti-Heathrow expansion group Hacan, said, "The Airport Commission calculations of economic benefits were on the basis of the capacity of a full-length runway. A shorter runway could open a can of worms, and invite a judicial review from Heathrow Hub or even Gatwick."

Virgin Atlantic chief executive Craig Kreeger suggested that "passenger cost guarantee" should be instituted to ensure airport charges did not rise from their current levels.

"Our passengers already pay the highest airport charges in the world – they should not be asked to pay even more to fund expansion," he said.

"To protect passengers, we're calling upon Heathrow to introduce a passenger cost guarantee, setting out the total budget for delivering the expansion programme, committing that passenger charges will not increase in real terms, and guaranteeing to cover the costs of any overspend," he added.