Tears of the Moon you do remind me of Shed on a pole in a way
I was about to say the same thing.
Thanks for asking, Andy_S, because that was no throwaway remark. And perhaps you are right to request clarification because a few people appear to require a refresher on this.
What an arrogant comment. If you hadn't then gone on to write some claptrap about boiled eggs and various other waffle you would have appeared to be a right know it all.
You don't hail from the north west by any chance do you?
The high cost of large scale projects is the same whether it is the south east or the north. We are not talking about land prices here. All these projects are built the same way and that is not going to change. The longer we wait and kick it down the line the higher the cost will be.
If you want to see eye watering costs then also look at the amounts being spent on and because the various anti heathrow campaigns and continuous challenges. It is the same for HS2 and will be the same for all future large infrastructure schemes.
So what then? Do we not build anything any more? Do we settle for second best as that's all we should pay for?
Looking at the headline figure does not give the full picture. Much of this money will come straight back in various taxes. A huge part will be scattered around the country via all the suppliers and workers involved in the construction. If this money is coming in from outside investment then it can be a very good thing.
To say LHR expansion only benefits the south east is just wrong. The new runway is as much about giving the regions access to the airport as it is about being an international hub. his is why one of the conditions is the added regional connections. London will already have good access via Crossrail etc.
The Gatwick expansion is a different matter. There may be growth in the holiday sector but that has no bearing on whether the UK should build a hub or whether the regions should be given easier access to the UK's number 1 airport.
I do wonder though why, when we are constantly told that opposition to LHR, is because too much money is spent in the SE rather than the North. Those same people seem to be so behind Gatwick expansion.