Angela Richardson (Guildford) (Con):...It was in that context that
my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris
Grayling) announced, as Transport Secretary in March 2018, that a
southern rail link to Heathrow would be the pathfinder scheme for a
radical initiative to attract private sector investment and ideas
into the design and construction of new railway infrastructure.
That was a widely welcomed announcement, as it opened up the
prospect of not just businesses but local...Request free trial
(Guildford) (Con):...It was in that context that my
right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell () announced, as Transport Secretary in March 2018, that
a southern rail link to Heathrow would be the pathfinder scheme for
a radical initiative to attract private sector investment and ideas
into the design and construction of new railway infrastructure.
That was a widely welcomed announcement, as it opened up the
prospect of not just businesses but local authorities and
Local Enterprise Partnerships
helping to accelerate the development of vitally needed new
railways, rather than having to wait in a queue with many other
existing schemes being devised within the traditional rail industry
process. Now, more than ever, we need to allow the talent
and expertise in the private sector to contribute to
our levelling-up efforts across the country...
...From the perspective of my own constituency of Guildford, I have
been grateful for information supplied to me by the directors of
Heathrow Southern Railway Ltd, whose design proposal avoids the
busy level crossings at Egham, which proved so tricky for Airtrack.
They envisage frequent trains from Guildford reaching terminal 5 in
just 29 minutes and then continuing on to Old Oak Common for
interchange with HS2 and the long-awaited Elizabeth line, before
terminating at Paddington. This will be transformative for my
constituents and for the capacity of Guildford and other towns
similarly served, such as Woking, Basingstoke and Farnborough, to
attract investment. It is little wonder, therefore, that local
authorities such as Surrey and Hampshire County Councils, as well
as the Enterprise M3 local enterprise partnership,
want to see urgent action taken by the Government...
The Minister of State, Department for Transport ():...It is clear that there is a strong case for
improving transport links in the region, as I have described, and
not just for airport passengers and employees, but for those who
live in the wider area and would benefit from the roads being freer
around Heathrow and, indeed, the extra public transport options
this would bring. So while there are many different options for the
scheme, we know the potential benefits are clear. First and
foremost, it encourages people from their vehicles on to public
transport, reducing congestion. We know this can be achieved
through the creation of new and accessible high-frequency, reliable
transport links with the interchanges and step-free access this
scheme would bring. It also helps us to reduce the environmental
impact of aviation and the associated carbon emissions, an
important step on the path to net zero, and not only by providing
new environmentally friendly journey options but also by utilising
sustainable construction methods and materials. It will take into
account any key environmental undertakings in that area being
developed in collaboration with the relevant local authorities and
local enterprise partnerships...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
|
