MP 'delighted' with Government's £500m Heathrow rail pledge

Published 12 Jul 2012 13:05 9 Comments

READING East MP, Rob Wilson, has said he is "delighted" with the Government's £500m pledge for a western rail link to Heathrow.

The Tory MP has been campaigning for a direct rail service linking Reading with the airport and today the Department for Transport said it has earmarked money for the project.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening praised Mr Wilson for his efforts, and added: "Rob has done a brilliant job of making the case for Western rail access to Heathrow from the first day I was appointed Transport Secretary and I am delighted the Government has been able to give the go ahead to this scheme.

"It will benefit huge numbers of people travelling to our hub airport and I congratulate Rob on his successful campaign."

The Government said the service could be up and running as early as 2021 "subject to a business case and conclusion of agreements with the aviation industry".

The DfE has not released details on journey times, frequency of trains and which stations would be serviced by the link but told The Chronicle Reading is being looked at as an option.

The Chronicle understands that the Government wants Reading Station to be the main hub for the service.

Ms Greening said it will slash journey times from the west of Engalnd and Wales by up to half an hour.

Mr Wilson - who in November hosted a parliamentary reception for key stakeholders including Network Rail on the project with Ms Greening as guest speaker - said the lack of a direct rail route from Reading to Heathrow costs businesses £10m-a-year and that it has "blunted the commercial competitiveness" of the area.

He said: "I am delighted at the excellent news that the Government has backed proposals for a western rail link to Heathrow.

"The fact that £500m has been allocated for this strategic addition to our transport infrastructure will cement Reading's pre-eminent position as a transport hub and a fantastic place to do business. It will also end any thoughts that important businesses have of leaving the area.

"The work all of our partners put into this project has paid off and I am glad I was able to bring the companies and officials together.

"We've been working on this for over a year and thanks to the Transport Secretary and the Chancellor seeing the very clear benefits of the scheme, Reading will become far more accessible to business regionally, nationally and now internationally too."

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 12 Jul 12

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Tarquin
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 13:20
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  Considering the Tories can't police the mass influx of immigrants into the UK as it is this seems rather an unwise investment. Kinda like building a swanky new cruise liner without repairing the massive hole in the bottom...
  
  Recommend?   Yes 23     No 10

• 

  MrsTaylor
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 13:33
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  With the new UTC School and the Reading Station upgrade these investments secured for Reading by Rob Wilson must total well over £1 billion!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 10     No 3

• 

  Mischievous
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 13:33
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  But it will put up the price of land round the station, Tarquin. And that has to be good for the property developers. What other benefits can we think of? Oh yes, it will reduce journey times to the airport for staff working there - meaning they can move to Reading to live. Tarquin you are right - this proposal is doomed to failure.
  
  By the way Mr Wilson - the rail link is not new. The last plan fell through because it was not good for local economies. This one is no different.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 28     No 21

• 

  HAMHAMsterMan
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 13:47
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  Another frivolous bit of overspending by the Tories whilst local hospitals and schools slide into ruin...
  
  Recommend?   Yes 21     No 6

• 

  NotJohn
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 15:26
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  I'm sure this promise is as sincere and valid as the ones about not putting up VAT or re-organising the NHS
  
  Recommend?   Yes 4     No 1

• 

  Jonathan
  Unregistered User
  Jul 12, 15:29
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  The last plan fell through because people in Egham objected to having the level crossing closed for four more trains per hour. I believe the new plan is for some additional track at Airport Junction to allow trains to turn right from the Great Western Mainline onto the Heathrow Express line.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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  Mischievous
  Unregistered User
  Jul 13, 00:15
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  The plan fell through because BAA did not conduct a proper consultation and all the towns and villages along the proposed route launched objections when they did citing adverse economic impacts. Reading on the other hand flatly denied any proposal was being considered despite the fact that Neil Kinnock came to Reading to give his support for the plan.
  
  Hey ho Reading - wake up you are being taken for a ride. This scheme does not benefit the town. What Mr Wilson and this council should be doing is supporting the public and not a railway station and the developers around it. If it is such a brilliant idea, why does a sound business case need to be made.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 8     No 1

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  Howard Thomas
  Unregistered User
  Jul 16, 01:23
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  What Reading needs with regard to transport is a ring road. What price a ring road, I wonder and will Rob Wilson be pushing the case? A third bridge would be circa £40million..........so 2 bridges and some new road. Perhaps £200million? Come on Rob, what about it ????? Show that you really care about the problems in Reading.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 3     No 1

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  Max Power
  Unregistered User
  Jul 23, 17:32
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  All this negativity towards investment in vital infrastructure is quite hysterical, as are calls for more road building. A direct rail link from Reading will drastically improve accessibility for the region and ensure Reading's burgoning high teck and computer industry can be maintained and supported. Airport access factors highly into the location decision making processes of MNCs and will complete a triangle of connectivity between Reading, London and Heathrow Airport. For Reading to be able to offer a reported 22 minute rail journey time to Heathrow, marginally longer (25 mins approx with electrification) to central London and competitive rental costs, it will leapfrog so many potential locations. Not to mention the skilled workforce of this area. The wider economic benefits of this cannot be dismissed and failure to appreciate this only serves to re-enforce the substantial naivety that exists around laying the right foundations for economic prosperity.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

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