Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) economic merits and (b) benefits to passengers of a western rail link to Heathrow Airport.

Network Rail’s own data details that a Western Rail Link to Heathrow will involve over £800 million of UK economic activity, including additional economic benefits for the region.

Passengers will benefit from new journey opportunities, improving access to Heathrow from the South Coast, South West, South Wales and West Midlands via a simple change of train at Reading. This will spare passengers the frustration of passing Heathrow on the way to Paddington, before having to turn around and do the last part of the journey in reverse – significantly reducing rail journey times between Reading and Heathrow.