Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the inclusion of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow in the Autumn Spending Review.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department for Transport has submitted its Spending Review bid to HM Treasury. Ministers and officials have had, and will continue to have, discussions with HM Treasury during the Spending Review process.
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, when construction work will start on the Western Rail Access to Heathrow.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Construction of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is expected to start following the granting of planning consent, with construction of the main build estimated to take approximately five years. Submission of the scheme’s application for development consent, is subject to a satisfactory business case and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow Aviation industry.
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 estimate he has made of the potential cost increase as a result of the two year delay to the Western Rail Access to Heathrow project.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Progress on the Western Rail Link to Heathrow is subject to a satisfactory business case and the agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry. Negotiations on these terms have not yet concluded and any estimate of cost to the taxpayer is dependent on this agreement. There is also no reason why costs would increase as a result.
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 - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
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 - Ogmore)
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 - Secretary of State for Defence
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 - Ogmore)
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 - Secretary of State for Defence
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 - Ogmore)
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 - Secretary of State for Defence
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
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 - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
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 - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
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.