Heathrow north-west runway: connectivity
Published 25 October 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heathrow-airport-expansion-connectivity/heathrow-north-west-runway-connectivity
The initial draft Airports National Policy Statement consultation closed in May 2017. This information is no longer current.
Heathrow will become even better connected with more daily long and short-haul destinations, more seats on domestic routes, and greatly improved road and rail services.
Connectivity
Increased runway capacity at Heathrow will enable an additional 260,000 flights a year at Heathrow, with an extra 16 million long haul seats for passengers travelling from UK airports in 2040.
Following expansion, Heathrow says it could add 6 more domestic UK routes by 2030. This could also mean a wider choice of airlines and cheaper fares if more airlines can fly to more regional airports such as Liverpool, Newquay and Durham Tees Valley.
Transport Links
An expanded Heathrow will be served by High Speed 2 (by 2026) via an interchange at Old Oak Common and Crossrail (by 2018), linking Heathrow to the north and more points in the heart of London: the City, Canary Wharf and East London.
Transport for London also plans to increase capacity and upgrade trains on the Piccadilly line.
Heathrow has pledged that there will be no increase in airport-related road traffic created by expansion. It will deliver better bus, coach and rail services, so that at least 50% of passengers will use public transport to get to and from Heathrow by 2030.
Heathrow has also agreed to pay for the full cost of improvements to the M25, A4 and A3044 required to deliver an expanded airport.
Western rail access and southern rail access could also provide 4 trains an hour to Reading and Slough and improved rail connections with Staines and the south-west of London. The government expects Heathrow to contribute towards these new links.
The government is looking at M4 capacity as part of normal roads investment planning. London’s population is growing and congestion on the M4 is not just an airport issue - if improvements benefit airport users then the airport is expected to pay a share of the cost in line with existing policy on the funding of surface access schemes.
The Airports Commission estimated costs between £15.3 billion and £17.6 billion in the construction of the runway and terminal facilities. The government expects the industry to work together to drive down costs for the benefits of passengers, a process which will be overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
All costs presented in this factsheet are estimates of undiscounted scheme capital expenditure.