Heathrow runway - will it ever happen?

[BrilloPad]

We've settled the argument about LGW. It's a royal pain in the arse to get to. 1 road (M23 - usually fecked) and 1 train line (usually on strike). Build a second runway there by all means, but only in addition to LHR3.

Why not Boris island?

[Mordac]

Why not Boris island?

Because you'd have to build a city the size of Birmingham next to it. That would roughly equate to the footprint of LHR.

[VectraMan]

Depending which way the wind is blowing you can find yourself easily living under an airport's flight path in London and the SE. Especially due to the fact they have to stack planes because of lack of runways....

Maybe it's just me, but shouldn't they make sure there's enough runways before the planes set off?

[Chuck]

Why not Boris island?

I think there are large number of migratory birds that use the estuary. They would be a danger to aircraft.

There is also a sunken ship. laden with explosives, that is too dangerous to do anything about, very near by. I suppose they could blow it up before any work started, but I think the resultant explosion would be something akin to an atom bomb.

[WTFH]

The one thing Gatwick has that Heathrow hasn't is a train station. Gatwick doesn't have good infrastructure or transportation links apart from the train (when it runs). It would make more geographic sense to expand Luton which opens up the Midlands on the M1 and West Coast mainline.

[VectraMan]

The one thing Gatwick has that Heathrow hasn't is a train station.

It has 4 doesn't it? Plus underground and a Crossrail spur being built to Heathrow.

[VectraMan]

It would make more geographic sense to expand Luton which opens up the Midlands on the M1 and West Coast mainline.

If you're going to do that why not Birmingham? One bad thing about this is it's yet more focus and spending on London.

[WTFH]

It has 4 doesn't it? Plus underground and a Crossrail spur being built to Heathrow.

I thought the only trains in and out of Heathrow were the underground and the Paddington Connect/Express.
Yes, there are "stations" at each terminal, but they are only for getting between terminals.

Is there another train station at LHR which gets you out of London?

[jbond007]

Should have gone with 1 runway each at Heathow & Gatwick. The time it takes to go through compulsory land purchase, planning permission, flattening the site, settling lawsuits, clearing up tree huggers chained to fences/protester tents (that is bound to be setup at some point) and the actual complete of the runway, it will be time to talk about another runway.

Might as well start at both airports at the same time and just get on with it and all the challenges in the next few years

[MrMarkyMark]

I thought the only trains in and out of Heathrow were the underground and the Paddington Connect/Express.
Yes, there are "stations" at each terminal, but they are only for getting between terminals.

Is there another train station at LHR which gets you out of London?

You only do the trip on the underground once it takes ages.
I always, either fly out of Gatwick, or get someone to drive me if leaving from Heathrow.