Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris is “keen to move forward at pace” with a southern rail link to Heathrow.
In a stakeholder update last month, the management team at Heathrow Southern Railway Ltd (HSRL) said progress on the proposal had
been “obscured” by changes in government and the coronavirus pandemic.
However, during an end of day adjournment debate in the House of Commons earlier this week, Heaton-Harris said the Department for Transport will “continue the southern access to Heathrow scheme”, working with Network Rail and Heathrow to integrate it with the western rail link and ensure efficient design and delivery.
“I am very aware of the strong benefits a southern access to Heathrow scheme will provide not only to the passengers and employees of Heathrow but to the people in living in the surrounding south-west London, Surrey, Hampshire and beyond,” Heaton-Harris said.
“I look forward to working with all who are interested in developing this scheme and I am keen to move forward at pace.”
Heaton-Harris was responding to Guildford MP Angela Richardson, who led the adjournment debate. Richardson said that now is the “right time” to look at the economic benefits, skills and jobs offered by a southern rail link.
She emphasised that while Heathrow can be reached by the Piccadilly line, Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect and, in the future, the Elizabeth line, it is “nigh on impossible” to get there by train from a number of south-west London boroughs and Surrey and Hampshire towns.
She called for “full throttle” to be applied to the scheme - a privately financed proposal that would also connect into HS2 at Old Oak Common and run through to Waterloo via Clapham Junction.
“Most infrastructure schemes envisaged for the North, Midlands and South West require significant amounts of public money but the southern rail link to Heathrow does not," she said.
“Private sector investors backed by design and construction partners are ready to get on and build this railway and I believe we should choose one of them to do just that.”
HSRL said the commitment to “move forward at pace” on a southern rail link is welcome but now needs to be followed through.
HSRL chief executive Chris Stokes said: “We were delighted with the powerful case made by Guildford MP Angela Richardson and several other MPs from the region for resolving the decades-long issue of a southern rail link to Heathrow Airport.
“We’re ready to get started on building this urgently needed railway, which will make a major contribution to reducing carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions by enabling a dramatic modal shift of airport users and commuters from road to rail, as well as reducing congestion on the M25.
“We urge MPs and other stakeholders to take rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris at his word and do everything possible to see this commitment turned into action in the spirit of the times.”