MPs have expressed doubt that Heathrow’s planned third runway will be funded with private finance considering, the price tag put on the infrastructure works and the amount of debt the airport is currently in.

During a House of Commons debate last week, a number of MPs raised concerns the taxpayer may have to foot some of the bill for the £49bn proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

MP for Richmond Park Sarah Olney said: “Heathrow Airport Ltd has cited that the cost of building a third runway will be an eyewatering £49bn, before factoring in an estimated £100bn in carbon abatement costs and at least £15bn of investment on surface access upgrade improvements.

“Without that upgrade, there will be no way to deliver sufficient passengers to Heathrow to utilise the additional capacity and deliver the supposed economic benefits.

“The government have said that funding for a third runway at Heathrow will be privately financed. With Heathrow already drowning in over £15bn-worth of debt, I am not convinced.”

In January, Heathrow Airport approved funding to begin work on a planning application for its third runway plan. The

will increase its passenger capacity by 50% to accommodate up to 150M travellers annually and support 756,000 flights – a significant rise from current levels.

The government has thrown its support behind the plan outlined by the airport and has committed to

.

During the recent debate, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip Danny Beales highlighted further current public sector concerns surrounding the construction of the new runway.

“There have been discussions about the third runway being privately financed, but as she has touched on, there are public sector burdens and costs too, including from the extra pressure on the Elizabeth Line, because of the capacity that will be needed, and on the local road network,” he said.

Heathrow’s current proposal will require a rerouting of the M25 to make space for the new runway; a

.

Touching on other public sector controversies the UK is currently experiencing, MP for Twickenham Munira Wilson likened the situation at Heathrow to the financial despair Thames Water is going through.

“Heathrow is beginning to resemble another financial omnishambles, Thames Water,” she said.

“Both have significant debt and are spending massive amounts of money on infrastructure while jacking up prices for bill payers – or, in this case, those taking flights – knowing that the government are ultimately there to bail them out if it all goes wrong.

“Let us make no mistake: taxpayers will be expected to foot part of the bill, and hard-pressed families and businesses will be forced to pay more for holidays and business trips through higher fares to fund the higher landing charges, as even airlines have warned.”

Contesting the view that Heathrow’s proposal will be part funded by the taxpayer, Department for Transport (DfT) under-secretary of state Keir Mather asserted the third runway will definitely be privately financed.

“Heathrow’s expansion is a private sector project and the government have been clear that it must be privately financed,” he said during the debate.

“Taxpayers will not bear the cost of expansion. The government are working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure that flying out of Heathrow will be affordable and that any increases to fares during expansion are minimised.

“Protecting the interests of consumers is the CAA’s priority and keeping costs affordable will always be a part of the CAA’s considerations.”