Business

Four trains an hour could go from Twyford to Heathrow

By Lucy Thorne
October 11, 2012

Four trains an hour could be carrying hundreds of passengers from Twyford to Heathrow by 2018.

The Western Rail Access to Heathrow (WRAtH) project, along with airport expansion, was the main agenda item when more than 100 property professionals gathered for the annual Thames Valley Property Forum at Ascot Racecourse.

Trains from Reading would stop at Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough and delegates were warned that without the scheme, firms will leave the Thames Valley.

The £500m WRAtH project is spearheaded by Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership. WRAtH would cut journey times for hundreds of thousands of people each year both locally and from the South West and Wales, who would change at Reading, where trains would take 28 minutes.

Ruth Bagley, chief executive of Slough Borough Council and lead on WRAtH for Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, told the conference investors could get a return on their money within 10 to15 years.

She added: “The proposal we came up with and has been adopted by Network Rail, and in principle by the government, could be operational by 2020. I believe it could be built by 2018. It will cost under half a billion pounds.”

Mrs Bagley said 80 per cent of businesses have stated that access to Heathrow from the Thames Valley is a problem with those from Reading spending an estimated £10m a year on taxis to Heathrow. One business was reported to be spending £10,000 a year getting to the airport.

WRAtH would create 42,000 jobs in the region, reduce carbon emissions and increase economic activity.

At the conference on September 13 she highlighted the risk to 17m sq ft of office space in the Thames Valley and West London that comes up for lease renewal over the next three years, adding: “If access is not improved, some of these business decisions will be to move, not just from the Thames Valley but from the UK.”

Carol Walker, of Twyford’s Thames Valley Travel, said: “The option to have a choice of a direct service by rail to Heathrow from Twyford has to be a great alternative and in turn ease traffic congestion on the M4.

“It would be very good for our clients as currently most travel by car.”

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Most recent user comments 7 of 7

Wish they would do four trains an hour from Earley to Reading instead of the two. The morning train in a nightmare it is so busy. It would be a good idea also if WDC reduced the car parking at Earley Station so people didn't keep on parking in the road causing havoc!!

Me-Here, Woodley
12/10/2012 at 13:31

I don't know just how many times we go around this same absurd logic. The cost of building tunnels to accommodate a route directly to Heathrow from Rdg seems wastefull. All trains from Rdg heading to Padngtn pass through Hayes & Harlington (but few stop there). It seems to me that there should be more trains coming from Rdg, to ease the chronic overcrowding, as well as existing services stopping at H&H (this would need renovating) as well where passengers can change onto the underground to get to HTR terminals. The journey time from Rdg to H&H is 20 mins then a short tube ride to HTR. This would be cheaper and make more sense.

Stig2, Wokingham
11/10/2012 at 21:05

Someone should check their facts as the proposal is for 4 tph from Reading to Heathrow, whilst 2 tph would stop at Twyford and Maidenhead; Slough would have the full 4tph. This is a suggestion to meet Network Rail's Option J2 for a link from the GWML to T5

It was more than a bit ironic for Ruth Bagley to be speaking at Ascot Racecourse. as Ascot station is not on Slough's proposed WRAtH route. However Network Rail have another proposal called Option J3 which would extend the HEx or Crossrail replacement from T5 to Staines where passengers could change for the Windsor Line trains (consisting of all trains from Waterloo via Putney).

As for the proposed <£0.5 Billion, this seems excessive for a rail line about 4km long. Much of this cost arise's from Slough's proposal for a deep bored tunnel along its whole length; though questions must be asked if a deep bored tunnel under richings Park Golf Club and Goodman's proposed SIFE site is a proper use of public money.

Though I would have little concern if TVBLEP members were to agree for a business rate supplement to pay for Slough's WRAtH proposal; if not lets have a cheaper option!

Windsorian
11/10/2012 at 13:13

“If access is not improved, some of these business decisions will be to move, not just from the Thames Valley but from the UK.” - BS.

'I can't get to Heathrow easily... I'll move my entire company to Hong Kong.

Never gonna happen! Just sounds like scaremongering.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
11/10/2012 at 12:34

You call this news? http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/business/s/2121271_heathrow_rail_link_vital_for_thames_valley_economy

Woky Local
11/10/2012 at 12:34

Where is the additional parking that would be necessary at Twyford going to be?

Phil Challis, woodley
11/10/2012 at 12:19

Why will this make any differences to Reading businesses? There are alredy three coaches an hour leaving Reading station that take little longer and drop off passengers at the departure entrances.