Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he is making on plans for the development of a southern rail access to Heathrow.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Southern Access to Heathrow (SAtH) would provide extensive benefits to the areas surrounding Heathrow and the South East of England, making getting to the airport quicker, easier and greener for millions of travellers in the boroughs surround the airport, across the south of England as well as creating regeneration opportunities and making Britain a more attractive place to invest and connect UK exporters to new international markets.
While a fast pace on SAtH is important, the scheme is very much in its infancy, and there is as yet much to be developed. It is crucial to the success of the project that time is taken in this early stage to ensure that the initial outcome based specification and commercial model on which the scheme will developed, are appropriate and the right solution to ensure value for money to the fare payer, the scheme proposer and the tax payer.
My Department continues to work closely with the market, including scheme promoters, operators and capital investors, along with the wider private sector and following Ministerial approval and alignment to the HM Treasury Infrastructure Finance Review; my Department intends to provide further guidance to the market regarding the commercial approach for SAtH early in 2021.
We also are continuing to work alongside Network Rail and Heathrow Airport Limited, to integrate with Western Rail Link to Heathrow, while ensuring alignment with other major infrastructure projects, to guarantee the most efficient design and delivery of SAtH.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Heathrow Airport Ltd’s Initial Business Plan, published in December 2019, committing funding to new rail links to that airport, if the Government will confirm (a) funding from the public purse to and (b) approve the Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Grant Shapps
It is helpful that Heathrow Airport has been clear in its Initial Business Plan that it sees the Western Rail Link being delivered in all scenarios. Government has always been clear that its support for the development of the scheme is subject to the successful agreement of terms with the Heathrow Aviation industry.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescales are for the progress of rail access projects to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Grant Shapps
Network Rail is finalising work on the Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH) Development Consent Order and will be prepared to submit to the Planning Inspectorate following the agreement of terms between the Government and the Heathrow Aviation industry on an appropriate financial contribution to the project. Network Rail has been advised to expect to submit the application for Development Consent no later than summer 2020, which will mark the next major milestone for the project.
On Southern Access to Heathrow (SAtH), my Department has been working to develop an appropriate ‘market involved’ commercial model. Following Ministerial approval and alignment to the upcoming HM Treasury Infrastructure Finance Review, the Department intends to provide further guidance regarding the commercial approach later this year.
Asked by: Chris Elmore (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to deliver the Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Grant Shapps
My officials are working closely with Heathrow Airport Limited and the Civil Aviation Authority to reach agreement on acceptable terms, which are essential to the delivery of the scheme. Subject to a successful conclusion of these negotiations, Network Rail will submit the scheme’s application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the (a) road and (b) rail improvements required as a result of the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Airports National Policy Statement sets out that it is for an applicant to demonstrate how it will improve surface access and mitigate the impacts of expansion at Heathrow. The expansion of Heathrow Airport will be fully funded and delivered by the private sector.
The proposed western rail link and southern access schemes to Heathrow are separate projects, which are subject to their own business cases. Where there are significant non-airport public user benefits from changes and enhancements to the infrastructure and services, the Government has made clear it would consider making a funding contribution to reflect these.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish details of the funding for the Western Rail Extension to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government supports the development of a Western Rail Link to Heathrow, subject to a satisfactory business case and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry. The Department is engaging with Heathrow Airport Limited and the Civil Aviation Authority to reach agreement on an acceptable funding contribution. Given such, any details regarding the funding are strictly commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what projections his Department has made for passenger numbers for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Alongside expansion of Heathrow Airport, the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is forecast to carry over 2 million airport passengers to and from Heathrow Airport, as well as a significant number of employees of Heathrow Airport and non-airport rail passengers travelling between London and locations west of Heathrow Airport.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is; and whether the project is fully funded.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government supports the development of a Western Rail Link to Heathrow, subject to a satisfactory business case and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow Aviation industry. The Western Rail Link to Heathrow is included in the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, and in line with our normal rail investment process, the scheme is fully funded to its next business case review point.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the projected cost to the public purse of the proposed Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Government policy is for developers to pay the costs of upgrading or enhancing road, rail or other transport networks or services where there is a need to cope with additional passengers travelling to and from expanded or growing airports. Where the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries, the Government will consider, along with other relevant stakeholders, the need for additional public funding on a case-by-case basis.
The Western Rail Link to Heathrow is being promoted by Network Rail and is expected to benefit both airport and non-airport users. The scheme must demonstrate a satisfactory business case; with the cost to the public purse being a factor. The Department and Network Rail are engaged with Heathrow Airport Limited, the Civil Aviation Authority and Her Majesty’s Treasury on this issue and to comment further would prejudice the department’s commercial position.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2019 to Question 249314 on Railways, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) a Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport and (b) a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow Airport on the level of emissions of (i) greenhouse gases and (ii) other atmospheric pollutants in relation to (A) the existing configuration and (B) the addition of the North West Runway at London Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Andrew Jones
When developing the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), the Government considered the environmental impacts of airport expansion, including surface access, in its assessment. The ANPS is clear that a new Northwest Runway will not receive Development Consent unless it can demonstrate compliance with air quality and climate change obligations.
Specific assessment of air quality and climate change impacts associated with the proposed Western and Southern Rail Links will form part of the required environmental assessments accompanying any development consent application. Both schemes are intended to support travel mode shift from road to rail, therefore supporting air quality and climate change targets.