Western Rail Link to Heathrow

active

Heathrow is the UK's busiest airport and handles the most international passengers of any airport in the world. Whilst the London Underground and Heathrow Express services have improved connections to central London, there are limited options for rail passengers travelling to Heathrow Airport from other than London. The Western Rail Access to Heathrow project will create a new connection with the nearby Great Western Mainline (GWML), providing a more direct rail route for passengers travelling to and from Reading, Oxford, South Wales, Bristol, Midlands and beyond. The Network Rail Draft CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan which has been published for consultation sets out the outputs, scope and milestones required to be delivered by the planned enhancement programme in CP5 (2014 - 2019). The specific project output of this scheme is to improve access and rail connectivity to Heathrow Airport for both travelling customers and the airport's workforce by providing interchange at Reading, thereby avoiding the need to travel via London when travelling from the West.