The second stage of the Heathrow Airtrack consultation, open from October 20 to December 15, will update residents on how the scheme has progressed in the Staines area and also will give the local community a chance to have their say on the whole Heathrow Airtrack scheme, which now includes a proposed new depot at Feltham.
Local residents are invited to visit exhibitions at three local venues between October 23 and November 8 about the proposals for Heathrow Airtrack. The proposed new rail link will connect Heathrow with the national rail network to the south and west of the airport.
Heathrow Airtrack will operate in each direction from Heathrow Terminal 5 to London Waterloo, Guildford and Reading. These trains will be in addition to the services already operating on these lines. At the same time, some Heathrow Express services will be extended through Heathrow Terminal 5 to Staines.
Heathrow Airtrack will improve rail services in areas to the south and south west of London and the Thames Valley, offering enhanced public transport access for the local community to Heathrow Airport and its transport connections into central London, as well as increased services to London Waterloo.
The scheme will also offer a more energy efficient, less polluting and reliable alternative to car travel for passengers and staff driving to and around Heathrow Airport, reducing the amount of airport related traffic on local and regional roads. In addition, Heathrow Airtrack will also offer opportunities for economic growth in Staines and the wider area to the south and west of the airport.
In Spring 2008 residents in the Staines area were consulted to find out their views on Heathrow Airtrack. Landowners, businesses, local authorities and local MPs along the route as well as environmental organisations and transport bodies were also consulted.
This second stage of the consultation will focus on:
- The preferred scheme from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Staines
- Options for the bridleway across Staines Moor and Stanwell Moor
- The effects of construction and operation of the rail link on local communities and the environment
- The works required on the existing railway and the new depot at Feltham
- Anticipated train services
Before BAA can proceed with the scheme, it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Secretary of State for Transport, through the Transport and Works Act order process. Local community feedback on the proposals will enable BAA to make any necessary changes to the scheme before an application is made to the Secretary of State for an order early next year.
The consultation exhibitions will take place at:
- Stanwell Moor Village Hall – October 23, 12.00-20.00
- Staines Community Centre – October 25, 10.00-16.00
- St Giles Hotel, Feltham – November 6, 12.00-20.00
- Staines Community Centre – November 8, 10.00-1600
Copies of the Heathrow Airtrack brochure, containing details of the proposals, can also be ordered from the Heathrow Airtrack team at:
Heathrow Airtrack
FREEPOST
Upper Brook Street
London
W1K 7QE
Or by calling 020 7529 4910
Or by emailing heathrowairtrack@cjassociates.co.uk
The information is also available at www.heathrowairport.com/airtrack
Notes to editors
- When Heathrow Airtrack is built, approximately 72% of Heathrow’s current passengers would be living in areas that are within one rail interchange of the airport.
- It is estimated that there will be a reduction in today’s public transport journey times of up to 10 minutes as Heathrow Airtrack services will reduce the number of station interchanges or changes between rail and road travel that are necessary today.
- In some cases journey times will be greatly reduced, for example the journey from Wokingham to Heathrow Airport will be reduced from 1 hour 25 minutes to 35 minutes.
- Up to 10 million passengers a year could use Heathrow Airtrack services with about a quarter of these travelling to or from Heathrow Airport.
