Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed airport expansions at (a) Farnborough, (b) Heathrow and (c) Gatwick on transport infrastructure in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential impact of proposed airport expansion at Farnborough Airport on transport infrastructure in Surrey and Surrey Heath constituency. Farnborough Airport Limited has submitted a planning application to Rushmoor Borough Council. The Department for Transport has no role to play in decision making relating to the planning application.

For Heathrow, the Government recognises the vital role that surface access will play as part of any future expansion of Heathrow Airport. As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), launched on 22 October 2025, we will consider the transport infrastructure required to support a third runway. This will include considering the impacts for travellers from different regions and the surrounding communities. While it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the ANPS review at this stage, it will be the responsibility of any expansion promoter to set out a surface access strategy demonstrating how they will meet the requirements set out in the ANPS as part of any Development Consent Order (DCO) application.

On 21 September 2025, the Transport Secretary approved Gatwick Airport’s application for expansion. Her decision letter, published on GOV.UK, sets out her considerations and the requirements of the planning consent; this includes improvements to highways infrastructure and Gatwick Airport’s commitments to promote the use of public transport.