Heathrow Airtrack

Heathrow Terminal 5 has two safeguarded heavy rail platforms for use by a west-facing connection to the National Rail network, which would be utilised by Airtrack. The original proposal for the AirTrack link[5] included a new station, called Staines High Street, to be built near the site of the former station of the same name, but that plan was omitted from the revised proposals in the second public consultation, published on 20 October 2008.[6]

A new depot for rolling stock on the site of the former marshalling yard at Feltham is included in the proposal.[6]

BAA indicated that it wished to extend the Heathrow Express service from Terminal 5 to a new terminal platform at Staines.[6]

The principle of a rail connection to Heathrow from the south had been the subject of considerable discussion and study for 50 years. Since 1960, there have been more than 10 studies or proposals that considered how to improve surface access to Heathrow by means of an additional fixed rail link, and in 1984 studies confirmed the viability of the link.[7]

Following a period of public consultation in 1998, BAA submitted plans on 24 July 2009 to the Secretary of State for Transport seeking authorisation under the Transport and Works Act to acquire the necessary land and begin constructing the rail link.

Work had been forecast to begin in 2011, with rail services operating by 2015.[8] On 30 July 2010 the Department of Transport wrote to all parties involved in the public inquiry, informing them that this had been delayed indefinitely. The reason cited was that "the Government has confirmed that its most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's budget deficit and that there will be a spending review in the Autumn. The review may have implications for the proposed funding of the Airtrack Scheme and until the position becomes clearer, we do not consider it appropriate to take matters forward...".[9]

In the event, Airtrack was not mentioned in the spending review and, as a result, in November 2010 BAA announced that the "public inquiry remains deferred".[10]

The economic case considers Airtrack to be a low-cost option,[11] for only 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of new line would be required, mostly within Spelthorne. The remaining new infrastructure would consist of station improvements and associated facilities.

The key elements of construction work would be:[12]

• Tunnelling from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Stanwell Moor
• Construction of a new rail line across Stanwell Moor and Staines Moor
• Construction of a new section of track in Staines-upon-Thames town centre
• Remodelling of Staines station

In 2008, the scheme was estimated to cost about £673 million,[1] of which about £150 million was expected to come from an operating surplus and the remainder from a government subsidy.

The passenger services proposed for the Airtrack service are generally to offer a half-hourly service to each destination:[6]

London Waterloo – Heathrow: two trains per hour, stopping at:

• Clapham Junction
• Richmond
• Twickenham
• Feltham
• Staines

An extension of the Heathrow Express service to Staines-upon-Thames would provide an additional 2tph between the airport and Staines-upon-Thames. Journey time from Waterloo to Heathrow Airport would have been approximately 40 minutes.[13]

Guildford – Heathrow (via Egham and Virginia Water): two trains per hour (one per hour at peak times), stopping at:

• Chertsey
• Woking

Journey time from Guildford to Heathrow would be approximately 36 minutes.[13]

Reading – Heathrow (via Egham and Virginia Water) two trains per hour, stopping at:

• Wokingham
• Bracknell

Journey time from Reading to Heathrow would be approximately 45 minutes.[13]

Concerns were raised about planned construction on Stanwell Moor, which has been reduced by successive widenings of the M25

Thorpe Road level crossing, Egham Hythe

Waterloo Road level crossing, Wokingham

AirTrack Forum, a group of local authorities, businesses and community organisations from Surrey, London and Berkshire, was formed by British Airways in 2000 to support the Airtrack scheme. The group commissioned consultants to study the economic benefits of the scheme funded by the (now defunct) South East England Regional Assembly.[14][15] A number of local authorities have expressed broad support for Airtrack, among them Runnymede, Reading, Woking, Guildford, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Surrey and Hampshire County Councils, along with Transport for London and the Mayor of London.[16]

Some authorities have expressed concerns or objected to certain details of the plans, such as Wokingham.[17] Surrey County Council, although it had previously objected, revised its position after BAA offered to fund £11 million of transport improvements.[18][19] The move was criticised by the local MP and Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond.[20] The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead expressed "strong concerns" about Airtrack.[21]

A number of new proposals for expanding transport at Heathrow Airport have been put forward, among which are schemes closely related to Airtrack.

Heathrow area rail services
mi-ch from Paddington Elizabeth line via Whitechapel 0-00 Paddington Heathrow Express Elizabeth line Old Oak Common under construction 4-21 Acton Main Line 5-56 Ealing Broadway 6-46 West Ealing 7-28 Hanwell 9-06 Southall 10-71 Hayes & Harlington Piccadilly line to Cockfosters 11-10 Airport Junction Elizabeth line to Reading GWML to Bristol Hatton Cross Heathrow Junction closed 1998 Heathrow Airport: Terminal 4 16-30 Terminal 4 Terminals 2 & 3 14-40 Terminals 2 & 3 16-20 Terminal 5

• Crossrail
• Heathwick
• HS4Air
• Superlink (railway network)
• Western Rail Approach to Heathrow

• "Heathrow Airtrack". BAA Heathrow. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009.
• AirTrack Forum website
• Wokingham objection website
• Egham-Airtrack.co.uk* "Egham Airtrack". Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. (opposition campaign website)
• TWA Application, Environmental Statement Volume 2