Rachel Reeves has given the green light for a third runway at Heathrow Airport to further invigorate London’s public transport infrastructure.
With an estimated completion date of 2035, the project is one of a number that will transform how we get around the capital in a decade’s time.
There are also plans for expansion at Gatwick and Stansted airports as well as plans to improve stations and train lines around the capital.
Here are eight public transport projects that will be taking shape over the next 10 years.
Heathrow Airport’s third runway
London’s busiest airport – and Europe’s – could finally get its long-mooted third runway under plans announced by the chancellor, which include ground being broken this parliament.
The third runway plans received parliamentary approval in June 2018, despite fierce local opposition, and will now need a development consent order to go ahead.
"We have asked Heathrow to come forward with plans by this summer, and then we want to grant that development consent order by the end of this Parliament, so we can get the diggers in the ground to get this project up and running,” Ms Reeves said.
Heathrow has pushed for the runway to “create more jobs and drive trade, tourism and inward investment to every part of the country”. The proposal would be for a new runway north of the current northern runway, which would overlook the M4.
The go-ahead is in defiance of the wishes of Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, who commented: “I remain opposed to a new runway at Heathrow airport because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets.”
Gatwick Airport’s second runway
It is not just Heathrow – at Gatwick Airport there are plans to add a second runway by moving its northern run-off strip by 12 metres to create an additional take off and landing spot.
The £2.2 billion project is privately financed and has the potential to create 14,000 jobs, according to the airport, but local opposition is mounting against noise and emissions.
A decision is set to be made next month by the Government.
HS2
What must be the most ambitious, contentious and ultimately underwhelming infrastructure venture of modern times has been the High Speed 2 (HS2) project.
After value engineering by the Sunak government, the Labour administration is set to press ahead with the fast link from London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street.
“We now expect services between Old Oak Common and Birmingham to start between 2029 and 2033, with Old Oak Common acting as a temporary London terminus,” the government said in its business plan.
But it has been anything but a smooth journey for this train line, which has run into problems with eco-campaigners and budgets, and has had its scope markedly reduced since inception.
Most recently, Mark Wild, who is in charge of building it, said HS2 is in a “very serious situation” and needs a “fundamental reset”. That said, there has been some progress, with work having started on 158 out of 227 viaducts and bridges and 31,000 people employed across 350 construction sites.
Bakerloo line extension
Transport for London is considering extending the Bakerloo line south from Elephant and Castle to take in Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate and ultimately Lewisham.
TfL said: “A viable funding package is needed to build the Bakerloo line extension. We’ll continue discussions with the Government while being realistic about the funding London could contribute to an extension over the coming years.”
Two years ago, the cost of the extension to Lewisham was estimated at between £5.2 billion and £8.7 billion at 2021 prices. Estimates suggest this one will be a while in the works and not ready to run until 2040.
Stansted expansion
Work is to start this year on a five-year project to expand the terminal at the Essex airport, which could become the second most used around the capital after Heathrow.
After government approval last year, the improvement plan is likely to take three or so years to complete and be booming by 2035.
Liverpool Street improvements
Now London’s busiest station, thanks to the Elizabeth line, Liverpool Street is set to benefit from a new roof, improved gates and a reconfigured ticket hall. But grander plans to redesign the station completely have also been on the table – although a £1.5 billion project put forward last year prompted 2,100 objections.
New Overground station in Bermondsey
Surrey Canal station is back on the table to give an Overground link in Bermondsey, close to Millwall’s New Den stadium, after a £17m cash injection last year.
If plans go ahead, the Windrush line station would link Surrey Quays and Queen’s Road Peckham.
Improved cycling facilities
TfL has plans to develop and improve cycle ways across the capital including links from Wembley to Willesden Junction, Camden to Tottenham Hale, Hackney to Isle of Dogs, Greenwich to Woolwich and Brentford to Hounslow.
Lime has also announced new investment in London to reflect the growing popularity of its e-bike hire.
