Surface access upgrades essential for a third Heathrow runway

Following the publication of the final report from the Airports Commission recommending a third runway at Heathrow Airport, the London Assembly Transport Committee has considered the surface transport implications.

Sir Howard Davies appeared at an Assembly plenary meeting in September, and the Transport Committee held a subsequent discussion with Transport for London.

In a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, the Committee believes that it is dangerous to ignore the reality that the transport upgrades proposed for the 2030 scenario will fall well short of what will be required, assuming the airport is fully utilised in 2050.

Other assumptions made by the Airports Commission in its analysis of surface transport access might also under-estimate the future level of demand.

Read the letter attached.

Update

The Committee invited Heathrow Airport Ltd to their December 2016 meeting - which the Deputy Mayor for Transport also attended, along with Network Rail.

Concerns about the apparent lack of surface transport planning are reiterated in the attached letter to the Secretary of State for Transport.