New Campaign for direct rail link from Hampshire to Heathrow

[kevin_roche]

The Basingstoke Gazzette reports that a new campaign is underway to build the Southern Access route to Heathrow.

Campaign for direct rail link from Hampshire to Heathrow

A campaign has been launched to connect Hampshire to Heathrow Airport via a direct rail link.

The 'Hampshire to Heathrow' initiative aims to secure the future of rail travel in the region by introducing the Heathrow Southern Railway.
This project aims to offer a direct rail link between the South Western Main Line and Heathrow Airport, benefiting many communities across Hampshire, including Southampton, Winchester, Basingstoke and Portsmouth.

The campaign is being led by local campaigner and former trade minister Sir Ranil Jayawardena.

 

[swt_passenger]

Introducing? Did they not mean reintroducing an already well documented proposal?

But it’s just another round of speculation really, without DfT support it’s a non starter.

 

[kevin_roche]

Introducing? Did they not mean reintroducing an already well documented proposal?

But it’s just another round of speculation really, without DfT support it’s a non starter

I agree. The article does not mention the previous Heathrow Southern railway proposal. One comment suggests it's just a way for Sir Ranil Jayawardena to put himself in the running for Mayor of Hampshire, so maybe that is the explanation.

 

[A S Leib]

Not that it amounts to anything beyond my own speculation, but I wonder if the transport secretary being an MP for a Swindon constituency whilst the chancellor backs Heathrow expansion and the environment secretary opposes it makes government support for more rail links to Heathrow, especially heading west, any likelier.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

The idea of a route to Heathrow from Slough etc. seems to have died a death. But that too could serve Hampshire via Basingstoke and Reading.