Heathrow is so sure it will get approval for a third runway that it has started the tendering process for the work.
Heathrow has asked for expressions of interest from companies by 16 October on four areas of work ahead of main construction getting under way.
- programme management
- information management
- construction advice
- design and technical advice
Interested firms have until 16 October to respond, after which Heathrow will draw up a short-list and invite these companies to tender in November. A decision on preferred bidders is expected to be made in the early part of 2016.
Heathrow suggest that the decision to begin tendering early has been taken “so that Heathrow’s supply chain is ready to begin work as soon as a decision is made by the government.”
More likely it is an attempt by Heathrow to put more pressure on David Cameron to favour it.
Premature and/or arrogant?
This is somewhat premature as the government not yet having decided on any runway.
UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, has promised to make a decision by the end of 2015.
But, UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, said on 21 October 2009 in Richmond, that there would not be a third Heathrow runway, no ifs, no buts.
At that time he was soliciting voters in Richmond, a seat he had to win to become Prime Minister.
The Tory candidate for Richmond was Zac Goldsmith, one of the leading opponents to Heathrow expansion. Mr Goldsmith won and in 2015 was reelected by the people of Richmond with a hugely increased majority, largely because of his opposition to Heathrow expansion.
Mr Goldsmith is now the Tory candidate to be Mayor of London in May 2016.
If Mr Cameron does this u-turn there will be huge political problems, legal challenges on Heathrow’s air and noise pollution (illegal now, impossible with a third runway) and the billions in costs that Heathrow expects the public to pay.
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