New transport secretary backs Heathrow third runway plans

Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative party conference, Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she was a supporter of the plans. "Aviation is a really important part of our growth," she added.

According to The Telegraph, Trevelyan said the expansion of Newcastle airport had "boosted the local economy" of her Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency, suggesting the same would be seen in London and the south if Heathrow gained another runway.  

"An airport is an extraordinary neighbour," she told conference delegates. "Newcastle got an Emirates flight for the first time out to Dubai. Literally within months, you could see the shift in exports.

"So I am an absolute believer, because I’ve seen what the opportunities for that international aviation hub brings to a local economy."

Heathrow launched a 12-week consultation process on a third runway in 2019, and last year former prime minister Boris Johnson said sustainable aviation will arrive "a lot quicker" than the airport’s expansion.