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Old December 28th 05, 09:21 AM posted to uk.railway,uk.transport.london
Bob Bob is offline
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First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Nov 2005
Posts: 114
Default Airtrack to beat Crossrail to Heathrow?

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/..._rail_link.php

Quote
AirTrack, a direct line between Terminal Five and South West Trains'
suburban rail network to the south and west of the airport, is outlined
in a document about the South Western train network franchise.The
inclusion of AirTrack in the Department for Transport (DfT)
consultation paper means rail companies need to make proposals to
operate the service in their bids for the franchise.A DfT spokeswoman
said it was looking carefully at AirTrack in the future development of
Heathrow.She said: "We expect to reach some conclusions in the course
of the coming year. Key issues will include identifying a promoter and
sources of funding."
Both the DfT and the Airtrack forum believe the scheme could be
operating in 2011, in time for the London Olympics in 2012.
Unquote

One source of funding could be the West of London Congestion Charge
centred on Heathrow. The BAA Chief Executive suggested that this would
be necessary last year and Airtrack could be the trigger to make it
happen. Spellthorne Council has in addition to environmental issues
concerning the route worries that people will go to Staines and park
their cars there and commute into the airport - including Staines in
the congestion zone (with appropriate residents rebate) could address
that problem.

As has been previously discussed in these groups I have always felt
that Airtrack and Crossrail should be integrated to provide
comprehensive access to one of Britains key transport nodes not only
from the centre of London but from the M4 and M3 corridors. I do hope
that in crossing the t's and dotting the i's in the SWT refranchising
that this possibility is not ruled out.