Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on their plans for new guidance to replace Southern Access to Heathrow: Strategic Objectives, published on their website on 4 November 2019; and, further to the answer by the Minister of the State for Transport on 22 July 2020 (HC Deb col 2268), in which he said that he was keen to “move forward at pace”, what specific steps have been taken to progress this since that date.

Government remains committed to improving rail access to Heathrow airport and our ambition is that any Southern Access to Heathrow scheme is funded and delivered by the private sector. Proposals need to be developed in a way that does not require government funding and secures significant benefits. We continue to discuss options and engage with the promoters as they work to resolve these outstanding issues.