Heathrow Airtrack (proposed)
The current Terminal 5 station which would have formed part of Airtrack
Overview
StatusProposal only
OwnerHeathrow Airport Holdings (railway tracks around Heathrow Airport)
Network Rail (remainder of the network)
LocaleLondon, England, UK
Termini
Stations13
Service
TypeUrban rail / Airport rail link proposal
SystemNational Rail
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map

 Waterloo National Rail London Underground London River Services
 Clapham Junction National Rail London Overground
 Richmond National Rail London Underground London Overground
Richmond Railway Bridge
over River Thames
 Twickenham
Feltham depot
 Feltham
 Staines
 Heathrow Terminal 5 National Rail Elizabeth line London Underground
Chertsey
M25 motorway
 Woking National Rail
 Guildford National Rail
Staines Railway Bridge
over River Thames
M25 motorway
 Bracknell
 Wokingham
M4 motorway
River Loddon
River Kennet
 Reading National Rail Elizabeth line

Heathrow Airtrack was a proposed railway link in the United Kingdom which would link Heathrow Airport in west London to London Waterloo railway station in Central London.

The line, as proposed by BAA, would run from Heathrow Terminal 5 across the suburbs of southwest London to Waterloo, with additional direct rail services from the airport to Reading and Guildford. Airtrack would provide an alternative route into London to the existing rail routes from Heathrow, Heathrow Express, TfL Rail and the Piccadilly line.

The scheme has been estimated to cost £673 million.[1] In April 2011, BAA announced that it would not proceed with the project,[2] citing the unavailability of government subsidy and other priorities for Heathrow.[3]

Various alternate forms have since been proposed, including a revised plan Airtrack-Lite put forward by Wandsworth London Borough Council in 2011.[4]

Plans

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]

Development of the proposal

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]

Construction

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.

Services

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:

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:

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:

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

Support and opposition

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]

Environment

Most of the construction work would affect Staines Moor and Stanwell Moor, which include a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and extensive consultations took place in Spelthorne resulting in major modifications of the scheme.[12] Residents of Feltham expressed opposition to plans for a new train depot close to a natural conservation area.[22] In response to these concerns, BAA published assurances in their consultation literature that the Feltham depot would have been designed to limit noise and light pollution, and with landscape screening.[12]

Level crossings

A large part of the proposed Airtrack route would run on the Waterloo–Reading line which has fourteen level crossings. Opponents have expressed concerns about the impact of the scheme on these crossings, and local campaigners have that claimed more frequent trains would increase waiting times at closed barriers and cause more road congestion.[12] Level crossings along the route without viable alternatives are chiefly four in Egham[23][24] and one in Wokingham.[25][26]

According to an Environmental Statement issued by BAA, Airtrack would have had a slight impact on eight crossings, with barrier closure times increasing by no more than 13%; three crossings would have been moderately affected, with closure time increases of between 13% and 25%; and four crossings would have been "severely" affected, with barrier downtime increasing by between 25% and 36%.[27] Wokingham Borough Council objected to BAA's plans on the grounds that no proper impact assessment had been carried out on level crossing dwell times.[17] BAA investigated the possibility of constructing new road bridges or tunnels to mitigate problems with level crossings.[6]

Future plans

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

Airtrack-Lite

In October 2011, Wandsworth London Borough Council announced a revised plan called Airtrack-Lite. To address some of the concerns, this proposes that the Waterloo-to-Windsor service would divide at Staines-upon-Thames, and the service from Weybridge to London (via the Hounslow loop) would be recast as Weybridge-to-Heathrow and Heathrow-to-London services.[4]

In March 2013, Wandsworth Council initiated a study into providing a 30-minute rail journey from Clapham Junction to Heathrow.[28]

Aviation Policy Framework proposal

A new rail link proposal was included in the government's 2012 High Level Output Specification for rail. The proposed line would use a west-facing connection near Slough, which would allow through trains to serve the airport from South Wales and Bristol if a business case could be established.[29]

A variation of Airtrack-Lite is the Windsor Link Railway proposal, calling for a new link to Terminal 5 from a triangle at Wraysbury, for a direct west of England link and a southern London rail link to and from Heathrow. Its envisaged bridge over the M25 is cheaper than the tunnelling associated with most other schemes.

Heathrow Southern Railway

A rival unrelated proposal, Heathrow Southern Railway, was announced in 2017.[30]

Third runway

In 2016, the Airtrack-lite plans were re-stated as part of improvements which could be linked to the proposed third runway at Heathrow.[31][12]

See also

Heathrow area rail services
mi-ch
from Paddington
Elizabeth line via Whitechapel
enlarge…
0-00
 Paddington Bakerloo Line Circle line (London Underground) District Line Hammersmith & City Line Elizabeth Line Heathrow Express National Rail
Heathrow Express
Elizabeth line
 Old Oak Common
under
construction
4-21
 Acton Main Line Elizabeth Line
5-56
 Ealing Broadway Central line (London Underground) District Line Elizabeth Line
6-46
 West Ealing Elizabeth Line Greenford line
7-28
 Hanwell Elizabeth Line
9-06
 Southall Elizabeth Line
10-71
 Hayes & Harlington Elizabeth Line
Piccadilly line to Cockfosters
11-10
Airport Junction
Great Western Main Line
to Reading
 Hatton Cross Piccadilly Line
Heathrow Junction closed 1998
 Airport interchange Heathrow Airport:
 Terminal 4
Piccadilly Line Airport interchange
16-30
 Terminal 4
Elizabeth Line Airport interchange
 Terminals 2 & 3 Piccadilly Line Airport interchange
14-40
 Terminals 2 & 3 Elizabeth Line Heathrow Express Airport interchange
16-20
 Terminal 5 Piccadilly Line Elizabeth Line Heathrow Express Airport interchange

References

  1. 1 2 "The Heathrow Airtrack Order: Estimate of Costs of Carrying out the Proposed Works" (PDF). BAA Heathrow Airport. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  2. ↑ "Heathrow Airtrack Waterloo rail link shelved by BAA". BBC News London. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  3. ↑ Samuel, A. (11 April 2011). "Heathrow: 'No option but to withdraw proposed Airtrack link to Staines'". Rail News from Rail.co. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  4. 1 2 "New Airtrack plan to connect Heathrow". Wandsworth Council. 28 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Improving public transport access to Heathrow Airport, Consultation brochure 1" (PDF) (Press release). BAA Heathrow Airport. February 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Improving public transport access to Heathrow Airport - Consultation brochure 2" (PDF) (Press release). BAA Heathrow Airport. October 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  7. ↑ "The AirTrack Forum - History". Archived from the original on 6 September 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Heathrow's vision for future rail access". BAA Heathrow Airport. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Department of Transport". wokingham-airtrack.org. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  10. ↑ "Heathrow Airtrack". BAA Heathrow Official airport website. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  11. ↑ "Wider Economic Impacts of Airtrack - Final Report" (PDF). Steer Davies Gleave, consultants. December 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Improving public transport access to Heathrow Airport - Update 1, Response to Consultation" (PDF) (Press release). BAA. Summer 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 "Aitrack Forum: Proposed Services". Archived from the original on 27 October 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "About Us". Airtrack Forum. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Airtrack Latest News" (Press release). AirTrack Forum. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  16. ↑ "Supplementary memorandum submitted by BAA Limited (PEAT 07A)". House of Commons Select Committee on Transport. May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  17. 1 2 "Section 3.1.3 Wokingham Borough Council Objection". Wokingham Borough Council. 16 September 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  18. ↑ "Surrey County Council considers Airtrack U-turn". BBC News. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  19. ↑ Butt, Russell (29 September 2010). "Residents 'sold down the river' over Airtrack". Surrey Advertiser. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  20. ↑ Butt, Russell (7 October 2010). "MP's county council 'bribe' jibe over Airtrack". Surrey Advertiser. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  21. ↑ "Borough's strong concerns about BAA Airtrack proposals" (Press release). The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  22. ↑ "Residents deliver petition to Downing Street opposing Airtack scheme". Richmond & Twickenham Times. 24 June 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  23. ↑ "Level Crossings and Egham". Egham Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 6 January 2010. (Egham Airtrack campaigning website)
  24. ↑ "Rail link 'brings traffic delays'". BBC News. 4 December 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  25. ↑ Fort, Hugh (19 November 2008). "Airport link could create 'chaos'". The Wokingham Times. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  26. ↑ "Wokingham station will need overhaul to cope with Airtrack". The Wokingham Times. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  27. ↑ Giesler, Nick (2009). "Heathrow Airtrack Environmental Statement Volume 2: Effects at Road Level Crossings" (PDF). Temple Group Ltd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  28. ↑ "Report by the Chief Executive and Director of Administration (on behalf of all officers concerned) on the Proposed South London – Heathrow Rail Link Project" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  29. ↑ "New rail link included in DfT aviation plans | Railnews | Today's news for Tomorrow's railway". Railnews. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  30. ↑ "Heathrow Rail". Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  31. ↑ "New rail route would link Heathrow with Waterloo in 43 minutes". Get West London. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
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