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Author Topic: Network Rail consultation on improving western rail links to Heathrow  (Read 28260 times)
ChrisB
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« on: January 31, 2015, 13:41:54 »

From NR» (Network Rail - home page) website - link in the article below


Quote
A new direct rail link connecting the west to Heathrow will improve passenger journeys to the UK (United Kingdom)^s busiest airport and help to increase economic productivity across the Thames Valley.
 
We are developing plans for a new rail tunnel leaving the Great Western main line between Langley and Iver to London Heathrow, allowing passengers to travel to the airport from Reading via Slough without going into Paddington station.

The investment will help:

For passengers
^Reduce journey times via rail between Reading and Heathrow Airport
^Provide direct trains between Reading and Heathrow
^Improve access to Heathrow from the South coast, South West, South Wales and West Midlands
^Reduce congestion at Paddington station

Wider benefits
^Provide over ^800 million worth of UK economic activity, including additional economic benefits for the region
^Create potential for 42,000 new jobs
^Make CO2 savings equating to 1 million road passenger journeys
^Give 20% of the UK population access to Heathrow via one interchange
^Help to provide much needed congestion relief for the M4, M25 and M3 motorways

Public consultation

We are holding a programme of events in the local community and are keen to hear your thoughts on the plans.

Come and talk to our project teams at our fully staffed events at the following locations:

Iver Parish Council Pavilion: Jubilee Pavilion, Iver Recreation Ground, Iver SL0 9PW
 Tuesday 10 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Wednesday 11 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Thursday 12 February: 6pm ^ 8pm

Richings Park Sports Club: Wellesley Avenue, Richings Park, Iver, SL0 9BN
 Friday 13 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 14 February: 12pm ^ 4pm
 Thursday 26 February: 4pm ^ 8pm
 Friday 27 February: 12pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 28 February: 12pm ^ 4pm

Colnbrook Village Hall: Vicarage Way, Slough, Buckinghamshire SL3 0RF
 Monday 23 February: 3pm ^ 7pm
 Tuesday 24 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Wednesday 25 February: 2pm ^ 6pm

You will also be able to pick up one of our information leaflets at our exhibits in the following stations:

Heathrow Terminal 5 train station
 Monday 16 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Heathrow Terminal 1, 2, 3 train station
 Tuesday 17 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Reading Station
 Wednesday 18 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm
 Thursday 19 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Slough Station
 Friday 20 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 21 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

We hope to see you at one of our events. You will also soon be able to leave comments on the proposals on our consultation site. A link to the site will be made available here prior to the time of the first consultation event.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the event you can email our project team at westernheathrowlink@networkrail.co.uk

1.Early 2015: Informal public consultation
2.Summer 2015: Formal public consultation
3.Early 2016: Submission of application
4.Spring / Summer 2017: Work to start on site
5.End of 2021: Work complete / trains running


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BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2015, 08:10:49 »

On my our local radio station (which I call dross FM due to choice of music and inane talk) there was a news article which refered to the proposed rail link from Heathrow to Reading - but I can't find anything new about this ? Have I missed something ?
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ChrisB
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« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2015, 09:06:54 »

You certainly have!.....
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/improvements/western-rail-link-to-heathrow/improving-rail-links-to-heathrow/

Quote
Improving rail links to Heathrow

A new direct rail link connecting the west to Heathrow will improve journeys to the UK (United Kingdom)^s busiest airport and help increase economic productivity across the Thames valley

We are developing plans for a new rail tunnel leaving the Great Western main line between Langley and Iver to London Heathrow, allowing passengers to travel to the airport from Reading via Slough without going into Paddington station.

Benefits
For passengers
^Reduce rail journey times between Reading and Heathrow.
^Direct trains between Reading and Heathrow.
^Improved access to Heathrow from the south coast, south west, south Wales and west midlands.
^Reduced congestion at Paddington station.

Wider benefits
^Over ^800 million of UK economic activity, including additional economic benefits for the region.
^Create potential for 42,000 new jobs.
^Make CO2 savings equating to 1 million road passenger journeys.
^Give 20 per cent of the UK population access to Heathrow via one interchange.
^Help to provide much needed congestion relief for the M4, M25 and M3.

Public consultation

We are holding a programme of events in the local community and are keen to hear your thoughts on the plans.

Come and talk to our project teams at our fully staffed events at the following locations:

Iver Parish Council Pavillion:Jubilee Pavilion, Iver Recreation Ground, Iver SL0 9PW
 Tuesday 10 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Wednesday 11 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Thursday 12 February: 6pm ^ 8pm

Richings Park Sports Club: Wellesley Avenue, Richings Park, Iver, SL0 9BN
 Friday 13 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 14 February: 12pm ^ 4pm
 Thursday 26 February: 4pm ^ 8pm
 Friday 27 February: 12pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 28 February: 12pm ^ 4pm

Colnbrook Village Hall: Vicarage Way, Slough, Buckinghamshire SL3 0RF
 Monday 23 February: 3pm ^ 7pm
 Tuesday 24 February: 2pm ^ 6pm
 Wednesday 25 February: 2pm ^ 6pm

You will also be able to pick up one of our information leaflets at our exhibits in the following stations:

Heathrow Terminal 5 train station
 Monday 16 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Heathrow Terminal 1, 2, 3 train station
 Tuesday 17 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Reading Station
 Wednesday 18 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm
 Thursday 19 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

 Slough Station
 Friday 20 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm
 Saturday 21 February: 8am ^ 10am and 4pm ^ 6pm

We hope to see you at one of our events. You will also soon be able to leave comments on the proposals on our consultation site. A link to the site will be made available prior to the time of the first consultation event.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the event you can email our project team at westernheathrowlink@networkrail.co.uk 

 Heathrow Timeline
1.Early 2015: Informal public consultation
2.Summer 2015: Formal public consultation
3.Early 2016: Submission of application
4.Spring / Summer 2017: Work to start on site
5.End of 2021: Work complete / trains running

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BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2015, 09:11:27 »

Many thanks - I heard mention of this before and know it has been discussed here in the coffee shop but I was curious why it made the radio new today.

Thanks for the link
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stuving
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« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2015, 09:17:59 »

Quote
1.Early 2015: Informal public consultation

According to this from the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), something in support of the first stage consultation was launched today.

I can't locate this on Network rails's site. However, as of 9:16 today the piece is headed:

Quote
6 February 2014 Last updated at 11:24

so may it's meant to be prophetic.
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stuving
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« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2015, 09:19:30 »

see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15298.msg170684#msg170684
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ChrisB
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« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2015, 09:36:49 »

Probably simply a press conference to launch the meetings above
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a-driver
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« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2015, 15:32:14 »

Lovely, if it'll be anything like Airport Junction it'll be yet another location we get checked down to a stand to allow a Heathrow train to proceed in front of us!
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Electric train
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« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2015, 19:37:51 »

On my our local radio station (which I call dross FM due to choice of music and inane talk) there was a news article which refered to the proposed rail link from Heathrow to Reading - but I can't find anything new about this ? Have I missed something ?

There is nothing like regurgitating old news as new news, especially when a General Election is looming
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BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2015, 19:46:20 »

On my our local radio station (which I call dross FM due to choice of music and inane talk) there was a news article which refered to the proposed rail link from Heathrow to Reading - but I can't find anything new about this ? Have I missed something ?

There is nothing like regurgitating old news as new news, especially when a General Election is looming

Oh you cynic ET.... Smiley
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paul7575
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« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2015, 23:54:14 »

On my our local radio station (which I call dross FM due to choice of music and inane talk) there was a news article which refered to the proposed rail link from Heathrow to Reading - but I can't find anything new about this ? Have I missed something ?

There is nothing like regurgitating old news as new news, especially when a General Election is looming

So should NR» (Network Rail - home page) cease all normal activity because there happens to be a general election coming up?  DfT» (Department for Transport - about) asked for this in the CP5 (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) HLOS (High Level Output Specification), so as per last April's enhancement milestones NR are consulting prior to their single option selection decision in November 2015.  Perhaps it would be better if they stopped work for a few months?

Paul
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BerkshireBugsy
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« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2015, 18:46:48 »

@paul7755 - I certainly wasn't suggesting that NR» (Network Rail - home page) stop work whilst there is an election imminent. I think my question was more along the lines of "is this new news"
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paul7575
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« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2015, 09:12:16 »

@paul7755 - I certainly wasn't suggesting that NR» (Network Rail - home page) stop work whilst there is an election imminent. I think my question was more along the lines of "is this new news"

I agree, it isn't new news at all, it is minor news of a planning stage being reached. 

I was really trying to contradict Electric train's view that this was some sort of pre-election stunt (which is why I quoted his response). If on the other hand the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) themselves had issued little more than an empty 'puff piece' then I'd agree with him.

This definitely seems to be NR going through normal processes.  The problem is that the NR GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) process for enhancements, and the 5 year (railway) control periods overseen by ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)'s timescales (themselves imposed by the 2005 Railway Act), mean that nearly all major rail projects will overlap with the election cycle at some point.

PS, would it possibly better to combine this thread with the earlier thread in the London to the West forum:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15298.0

Paul
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2015, 19:59:16 »

PS, would it possibly better to combine this thread with the earlier thread in the London to the West forum:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15298.0

Paul

Fair comment, Paul: I've now moved and merged those topics here, on the London to Reading board. CfN.  Smiley
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« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2015, 20:26:03 »

@paul7755 - I certainly wasn't suggesting that NR» (Network Rail - home page) stop work whilst there is an election imminent. I think my question was more along the lines of "is this new news"

I agree, it isn't new news at all, it is minor news of a planning stage being reached. 

I was really trying to contradict Electric train's view that this was some sort of pre-election stunt (which is why I quoted his response). If on the other hand the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) themselves had issued little more than an empty 'puff piece' then I'd agree with him.

This definitely seems to be NR going through normal processes.  The problem is that the NR GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) process for enhancements, and the 5 year (railway) control periods overseen by ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)'s timescales (themselves imposed by the 2005 Railway Act), mean that nearly all major rail projects will overlap with the election cycle at some point.

PS, would it possibly better to combine this thread with the earlier thread in the London to the West forum:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15298.0

Paul

I was probably being cynical I know only too well the Control Period cycle I live and breath GRIP  Shocked sad I know  Grin

And yes this is NR going through process, I am certain that the political class will be making mileage out of it over the next few months
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