The UK’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham does not want to take a position on a third runway at Heathrow before the ongoing consultation has concluded, the BBC reports.
Burnham, who opposed the project as mayor of Greater Manchester, said that the views of Londoners must first be taken into account. Heathrow has meanwhile stated that the new runway could be completed as late as 2039, four years later than the previous target of 2035.
The project is estimated to cost £33 billion and could increase the number of flights from the current cap of 480,000 per year to 720,000. Heathrow hopes to obtain planning permission by 2029 at the latest.
The project has the support of, among others, the trade unions Unite and GMB, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan and environmental groups oppose the expansion.
