Left In A Siding: The Rail Link That Could Make Heathrow Greener
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Guardian.
The article makes a powerful case forvthe building of the Heathrow Southern Railway.
It is a must read.
I can never understand, why the government hasn’t backed this scheme.
- It creates a four trains per hour service between Heathrow and Waterloo via Staines and Clapham Junction
- It creates an extension of Heathrow Express to Basingstoke, Guildford and Woking.
- The extended Hethrow Express creates a much needed commuter route into Paddington.
- Few properties would be affected by the new railway.
But above all, it will be built with private money.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-07-22/debates/E65E4B20-5464-46FF-932B-E0C14EB1C3B5/SouthernHeathrowRailLink is Hansard’s report of the adjournment debate on this subject last night. I think, if I cut out all the waffle, the short version is ‘nothing much is happening’. I suppose at least it keeps the subject in the public/parliamentary eye.
Comment by Peter Robins | July 23, 2020 |
in that debate, Heaton-Norris said “The Department will continue to develop the southern access to Heathrow scheme, working alongside Network Rail and Heathrow Airport to integrate it with the western rail link”, which seems sensible to me. But the BBC is now reporting https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-54252585 that the Western link has been delayed because “the business case has evaporated during the pandemic.” The same must surely be true of the southern link, and it seems unlikely atm that there’ll be any substantial improvement in airports’ prospects until next year at the earliest.
Comment by Peter Robins | September 23, 2020 |