Written evidence from the London (Heathrow)
Airline Consultative Committee (HSR 163)
INQUIRY INTO
THE STRATEGIC
CASE FOR
HIGH SPEED
RAIL
On behalf of the London (Heathrow) Airline Consultative
Committee (LACC) and the Heathrow Airline Operators Committee
(AOC) we are grateful for the opportunity to comment on the Strategic
case for High Speed Rail (HSR). Our comments are focused exclusively
on the need to provide a direct link to Heathrow as the nation's
hub airport and the implications for wider transport policy in
general.
In response to Question 2 as to how HSR fits with
the Government's transport policy objectives in the context of
aviation, our understanding is that these would be best met by
including Heathrow on the mainline HSR route. This primary alignment
would meet the following criteria:
— Satisfy
the Government's policy for the integration of transport systems;
— Facilitate
the effective migration from domestic aviation to the rail network;
— Maximize
economic benefits and the competitiveness of industry in the distribution
network for goods and services;
— Reduce
carbon emissions through air/rail modal shift; and
— Respond
to European aspirations for full intermodality and connectivity
with Europe's fast growing high speed rail network.
In order to meet these objectives, the view of the
airlines at Heathrow is that a HS2 scheme, in terms of the routing,
should provide the following attributes:
— A "seamless"
transfer for passengers and baggage at a HS2 rail station located
at or near Heathrow to enable modal shift from air to rail;
— Ideally
that this station should be en-route on the HS2 mainline as opposed
to a spur to maximize potential connectivity benefits;
— The
Heathrow HS2 station should be an intermodal solution which is
fully integrated into the UK transport network along designs similar
to equivalent hubs at Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam and which
attract EU funding from the Trans European Network-T initiative
(TEN-T).
The existing HS2 scheme and the Secretary of State
for Transport's recommendations in December 2010 propose that
the airport should be connected to HS2 via a spur to the north
of the airport. This will be constructed in Phase 2, alongside
links to Manchester and Leeds. We believe that although a spur
would deliver benefits to Heathrow it will not maximise all the
benefits that an en-route station would do, as detailed above.
This has implications for both meeting Government objectives and
the affordability of the scheme.
The LACC and AOC will be taking part in the Government's
consultation process with a view to improving surface access at
Heathrow. Our aim will be to ensure the best possible outcome
for both Heathrow and the UK transport system.
Whilst we fully respect the Government's desire for
economic balancing across the UK, the airlines are of the strong
view that the strategic route for HSR must be fully integrated
with an en-route station at or near Heathrow. Only this solution
will meet the Government's and the airlines requirements to enhance
the air and rail passenger experience in a fully integrated transport
solution aligned with European norms and developments.
May 2011
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