Heathrow Southern Railway Limited (HSRL) – the independent venture set up to transform the rail network serving Britain’s busiest airport – has reacted to today’s rejection by the High Court of the challenge to the legality of the Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) authorising the next stage of the approval process for a third runway at London Heathrow Airport.
HSRL Chief Executive Graham Cross said:
“We will study the judgement in detail but our initial reaction is that clearance of this legal hurdle by the NPS means progress on a southern rail link to Heathrow is now even more imperative to address serious concerns on road congestion and air quality which prompted the court action. It is essential that new rail services to and from Heathrow are available as soon as possible to ameliorate existing overload of the road network and poor air quality generated by continuously growing numbers of users of the two runway airport whilst being in place to anticipate further growth in passenger and workforce numbers associated with the third runway. Our engagement with stakeholders continues to confirm their desire to see greatly enhanced rail travel opportunities for airline passengers and airport workers.”
For further information visit www.heathrowrail.com or contact Mark Walker on
01733 767244 or
07742 925753.
Notes for editors:
- The UK Department for Transport conducted a market sounding exercise with potential private sector promoters of a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow (SRLtH) during 2018 and is currently considering its next steps.
- HSRL intends to create fast, easy and relaxing rail access to Heathrow Airport by building 8 miles of rail infrastructure from the west end of the existing Terminal 5 station, enabling trains to run from Woking, Guildford and Basingstoke to Heathrow Airport and on to Old Oak Common (for HS2) and London Paddington (for the Elizabeth Line).
- Heathrow Southern Railway will also enable electric trains to operate between Heathrow Airport and London’s Waterloo terminus via Clapham Junction, Putney, Hounslow, Twickenham, Richmond, Staines and other intermediate stations. Waterloo East and Clapham Junction will make Heathrow accessible from Kent and Sussex with just one change of train.
- The best rail journey times projected by HSRL are 16 minutes from Woking to Heathrow, 26 minutes from Guildford to Heathrow and 6 minutes from Staines upon Thames to Heathrow.
- HSRL forecasts that the new railway will remove 86 million car kilometres from the road network each year, will be used by 33,000 passengers per day and could be open by 2027, coinciding with the projected opening date for the third runway at Heathrow.
