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Arup has set up a development company to start work on the Heathrow transport hub, according to the Sunday Times.

The newspaper said that documents at Companies House show several senior employees at the consultant listed as directors of Heathrow Hub, as well as Ian Trehearne, a partner at City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner.

Arup has shown plans for the £4.5bn railway station to the Department for Transport. Transport minister Lord Adonis said that the government is keen on the proposal, which would transfer passengers to Heathrow from a new high-speed rail link to the North of England.

The Heathrow Hub could be built to mollify opponents to a third runway at Heathrow.

A group of unions and businesses today took out newspaper adverts urging Brown to approve the construction of the third runway.

The Future Heathrow Group warned that without expansion Heathrow's status as a global hub is at stake.

The Unite union said modernisation would create 50,000 jobs in construction and services. Joint general secretary Derek Simpson said: "We sincerely believe that Heathrow's modernisation is the only way to reduce aircraft emissions and cut disruption."