Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has affirmed that constructing a third runway at Heathrow Airport can align with the United Kingdom’s net zero emissions goal, despite objections from the Government’s official climate advisory body. Speaking amid ongoing debate over the project’s future, Alexander argued that economy-wide emission targets should not preclude the runway's development, as increases in aviation emissions could be counterbalanced by reductions elsewhere in the economy.

The proposed £49 billion expansion plan, which includes building a third runway, has faced significant criticism from environmental groups, local communities, and parts of the aviation sector. Opponents, including London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, warn that the expansion would raise noise pollution and worsen air quality, potentially harming residents' health. Some airlines have expressed a preference for a more limited expansion that avoids costly infrastructure such as tunneling beneath the M25 motorway.

Alexander emphasized the economic benefits of the project, highlighting that a third runway would sustain thousands of jobs and reinforce Heathrow’s role as an international gateway, particularly for tourists from China and India. She also noted that while the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the Government’s climate advisory panel, described the runway as incompatible with meeting the UK's 2050 net zero target without costly mitigations potentially adding £400 to a transatlantic flight ticket, their perspective is only one approach among many. She asserted that the Government remains committed to net zero and is currently updating broader transport decarbonization strategies.

Plans for Heathrow’s third runway date back to 2009 but have repeatedly stalled due to political opposition and shifting government positions. The project gained renewed attention after Heathrow lost its status as Europe’s busiest airport to Istanbul last month. Reports suggest that Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has yet to take a definitive stance on the runway expansion and is consulting with Members of Parliament and other stakeholders before making a decision. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reportedly expressed reservations about the project, concerned that it could detract from investment in other UK regions, though he has not addressed the issue publicly since assuming office.

In a separate announcement, Alexander committed to continuing efforts to improve road maintenance, stating that local councils are expected to increase pothole repair spending by £800 million this year under a "use it or lose it" funding policy. This policy requires councils to demonstrate effective use of allocated funds or risk having their budgets reduced. Self-reported data from local authorities indicates an increase in pothole expenditure from £4.1 billion to £4.9 billion compared to the previous year. Alexander stressed the importance of accountability to ensure that taxpayer money is spent efficiently.