From the magazine

How Heathrow went from six runways to two

The Spectator
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EXPLORE THE ISSUE 01 February 2025
issue 01 February 2025

Chocks away

Rachel Reeves backed a third runway for Heathrow, reigniting a debate which has been going on for years. Yet Heathrow, when originally laid out in 1946, had six runways varying in length between 5,300 and 9,200ft: three pairs of parallel runways running east to west, north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west. As aircraft grew larger, there was less need for them to take off and land in alignment with the wind, but there was a need for longer runways. Heathrow gained its current layout in the 1970s when the east to west runways were extended to more than 12,000ft each, and three of the other four runways closed. One of the diagonal runways was retained for emergencies until it was eventually closed in 2002. 

Vote of no confidence

Some 52% of respondents from ‘Gen-Z’ (aged between 13 and 27) said they agreed with the statement that ‘the UK would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with parliament and elections’. In which countries do people value democracy the most, and the least?

Percentage who say it is important to them to live in a democracy:

MOST

Ethiopia, Turkey 96

China 95

India, Egypt, Argentina 93

Nigeria 92

Italy 91

LEAST

Russia 65

Saudi Arabia 74

Pakistan 79

US 80

Japan, Ukraine 81

UAE, UK 82

Source: Open Society Foundations 

Asset value

How wealthy are UK households?

– During the period 2020-22 the median net wealth of UK households (i.e. assets minus liabilities) was £293,700.

– Median household wealth varies between £179,900 in the north-east to £489,800 in the south-east. London, in spite of having the highest GDP per capita, had the fourth-lowest net household wealth, at £244,800, ahead of the north-east, north-west and Scotland. While GDP is based on where people earn their money, net household wealth figures are based on where they live.

40% of overall household wealth is property and 35% private pensions.

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