Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for work to (a) commence and (b) finish on the Western Rail Access to Heathrow project.

My Department is working with Network Rail to progress the design and development of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow scheme and a final consultation on the proposed alignment will commence this month.

This is a major step in the development of the scheme and is required before Network Rail can submit its application to the Planning Inspectorate for the necessary consents. The construction timetable is subject to obtaining these planning consents but an indicative timetable would see this commence during Network Rail’s Control Period 6 (the funding period 2019 to 2024).