London Mayor Sadiq Khan is pushing for the Home Counties to become part of the TfL network. And while some haughty Londoners might not like the idea of allowing that lot from Surrey and Berkshire to claim that they are part of the capital, this might actually be a good thing.
The Mayor and Transport for London are pushing for more rail links between Heathrow and the southeast of the capital in the run up to the airport’s £49 billion expansion. Transport bosses have warned that Heathrow’s planned third runway and terminal expansion could see passenger numbers surge by 80 percent, with a 150 percent increase in public transport trips, requiring extra rail links from from Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, MyLondon reported.
To stop a dramatic rise in air pollution around Heathrow, the Mayor wants the government to commit to a no-traffic increase on the M25, meaning the airport would need to be accessed via public transport.
TfL has said that the long-mooted Southern and Western rail links should be made a priority. They proposed that a new track should be laid from the existing Terminal 5 station to Staines where it can link with South Western Railway services to Waterloo and Clapham Junction via Richmond or Hounslow.
A second branch to Virginia Water would unlock direct services to Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire. The Western rail link would require a new tunnel to be built between Heathrow and Langley. This would mean passengers would no longer have to travel into the city to reach Heathrow.
The Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce said the new runway, along with construction costs appearing lower than expected, meant there was a good business case for the rail expansion. They said the if the rail link opened by 2032 there could be a positive return on investment by 2044.
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