Heathrow £500 million link

[Greenback]

To me it would make much more sense to utilise the platforms which already exist at T5 and put in a westward tunnel down to the GWML to connect east of Langley station, where there is plenty of room for a fly-under and /or tunnel portals. This would reduce conflicting movements between trains within the airport network as trains can divert via Heathrow rather than travel via Slough.

I agree, I hope that is the plan!

BAA has made considerable efforts in getting airport workers to use public transport to the airport (including discounted ticket options exclusive to staff, arranging for additional early morning / late night buses into the airport to meet staff starting times). Heathrow Connect is popular with airport staff and many of the early morning and late evening services resemble staff trains as 75% of the passengers are airport workers. I would expect the same sort of thing to apply to any extensions to the airport's transport links in future.

If there are so many workers using Heathrow Connect and night buses to get to and from the airport, how many will be attracted from their cars on to the new service? I still think that the airport staff travel is not a strong argument!

 

[cle]

What crossovers are in place to allow Western GWML trains ex-Heathrow to access both fast and relief lines in the Langley/Slough area?

As mention seems to be made of Crossrail using this, but then also faster Reading shuttles and long distance trains too.

Are there any diveunders or flyovers, or would they need to be built to minimise conflicts?

 

[SwindonPkwy]

Nobody has mentioned rolling stock here. Given that BAA has conceded that Heathrow Express will end when Crossrail begins, could it be that the rolling stock will switch to the Reading 'Heathrow Express'?

Clearly, talk of direct services from Cardiff or Bristol was pure speculation on the part of the newspaper. I would like to see Oxford, Reading, Heathrow T5 with a mixture of Fasts and Semi Fasts. As the current services have shown, to cater for business travellers you need 'Express' whilst for airport workers you need 'Connect'.

 

[tbtc]

Given that BAA has conceded that Heathrow Express will end when Crossrail begins,

Have they?

I know that Heathrow Connect will cease when Crossrail starts (meaning the 360s move to NXEA?), but haven't seen anything official about Heathrow Express ending

 

[SwindonPkwy]

IIRC the latest London and SE RUS alludes to the fact that BAA accepts that during the rush hour there will be insufficient paths on the fast tracks for Heathrow Express to operate. Also, and as a partial compromise, some Crossrail services will operate semi-fast from Paddington to Heathrow. Another reason cited is the confusion caused to passengers arriving at PAD (tube or NR) and bound for LHR, if both Crossrail and Heathrow Express were operating.

So, yes, nothing official but the outcome once Crossrail starts operating is becoming clearer. The Reading Heathrow link is the next piece in the jigsaw.

 

[paulravuslante]

I agree, I hope that is the plan!



If there are so many workers using Heathrow Connect and night buses to get to and from the airport, how many will be attracted from their cars on to the new service? I still think that the airport staff travel is not a strong argument!

Well the options are there for people to use public transport to reach work when airport workers might decide for themselves to use the bus / train instead of paying to fill their cars with an increasingly expensive tank of petrol. It's an option along with staff carsharing schemes and loans to purchase bicycles. I think BAA is much more persuasive than other transport companies at getting workers to try public transport.

 

[Windsorian]

The (final) London & SE RUS proposes 10 Crossrail tph to Heathrow; 4 tph will go CTA and T4, but then it says "up to" 4 tph to both Staines & Reading; if each were going to have 4tph then this would be 12 not the 10 proposed. Begs the question whether there is a limit the Heathrow spur / airport stations (CTA & T5) can accomodate ?

Also the RUS refers to extending the 4tph Maidenhead terminating service to Reading "a decision will be required in the next few months" ! So how will extending 4tph from T5 to Reading fit in with a proposed 4tph Maidenhead / Reading extension ?

 

[cle]

I thought it was mentioned somewhere than T4 would only have 2tph - which I think is a mistake, especially if the shuttle disappears too.

I guess Staines and Reading services from T5 make it a more efficient station - it could even use the existing platforms if all trains at T5 were through trains.

Which leads me to think that the additional two may be needed for terminators from the West, if all Crossrail trains continue to either Reading or Staines. Both links need to be built first though!

 

[Greenback]

Well the options are there for people to use public transport to reach work when airport workers might decide for themselves to use the bus / train instead of paying to fill their cars with an increasingly expensive tank of petrol. It's an option along with staff carsharing schemes and loans to purchase bicycles. I think BAA is much more persuasive than other transport companies at getting workers to try public transport.

Any reduction in car journeys is to be welcomed, but my point is that in order to use airport staff travel as part of the scheme, it would be helpful to know how many current car users would be persuaded to move to any new rail service.

 

[Windsorian]

I thought it was mentioned somewhere than T4 would only have 2tph - which I think is a mistake, especially if the shuttle disappears too.

I guess Staines and Reading services from T5 make it a more efficient station - it could even use the existing platforms if all trains at T5 were through trains.

Which leads me to think that the additional two may be needed for terminators from the West, if all Crossrail trains continue to either Reading or Staines. Both links need to be built first though!

Found your ref 2tph to T4 in a variation to the Assessment of Option A5 on page 109. Suspect it implies the shuttle will continue.

 

[paulravuslante]

Found your ref 2tph to T4 in a variation to the Assessment of Option A5 on page 109. Suspect it implies the shuttle will continue.

I understand that BAA require HEx to operate a minimum level of service to link the terminals by rail, which must be 4 trains an hour. It's likely this stipulation would apply to whoever is operating the service in future.

 

[eastdyke]

HS2 should be deferred (it will probably be delayed whatever happens).

A totally new line with 125mph trains should be built from Heathrow to Cambridge. The new line should have en-route interchange connections to GWML, WCML, MML and ECML.

I envisage at or east of Reading, at or south of Milton Keynes, north of Bedford and north of Hitchin.

Through services should also be run to principle destinations on the ECML.

This would both relieve much pressure on 4 main routes in/out of the Capital and also provide a new 'across the country' link.

And no I havn't done any cost/benefit analysis (sorry!)

 

[Butts]

I understand that BAA require HEx to operate a minimum level of service to link the terminals by rail, which must be 4 trains an hour. It's likely this stipulation would apply to whoever is operating the service in future.

British Airways must be a prime candidate for this - we know how well they get on with BAA

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Whoaa ...plenty of time to plan options , post electrification , IEP , Crossrail and so on.

Lets do the research first on (a) cost (b) praciticality (c) passneger demand (d) impact on existing passenger and freight flows.

 

[Helvellyn]

If this link is built then the Reading RailAir coach would go - and that's a dedicated coach that runs from Reading Railway station, with through ticketing possible, where passengers hump their bags around and out of Reading station! Changing to another train would be easier for passengers.

I wonder if CrossCountry would be interested (or allowed) to serve Heathrow this way. It might be better for them to run an hourly Newcastle-Birmingham-Reading-Heathrow service, rather than continue with the recent two hourly extension of the Newcastle services to Southampton.

 

[anthony263]

If this link is built then the Reading RailAir coach would go - and that's a dedicated coach that runs from Reading Railway station, with through ticketing possible, where passengers hump their bags around and out of Reading station! Changing to another train would be easier for passengers.

I wonder if CrossCountry would be interested (or allowed) to serve Heathrow this way. It might be better for them to run an hourly Newcastle-Birmingham-Reading-Heathrow service, rather than continue with the recent two hourly extension of the Newcastle services to Southampton.

Crosscountry could in theory, providing the class 220/221 is runnuing on electric power after being fitted with a pantograph car and that the stock is cleared along the route.