A new direct rail link connecting the west to Heathrow will improve passenger journeys to the UK’s busiest airport and help to increase economic productivity across the Thames Valley. Network Rail is developing a new rail tunnel leaving the Great Western main line between Langley and Iver to London Heathrow, allowing passengers to travel to the airport from Reading via Slough without going into Paddington station. This will make journeys faster, improve access to Heathrow, and provide significant economic benefits for the growing number of businesses in the Thames Valley region and beyond. A tunnel (comprised of two smaller tunnels) approximately 5 km-long, will  connect with the Great Western main line at a new junction between Langley and Iver stations. The new line would travel above ground for approximately 250 m before entering the tunnel, which would connect to existing platforms at Heathrow Terminal 5. At its shallowest, the tunnel could be approximately 10m below ground and at its deepest around 30m, with a diameter in the region of 6-7m.

The first phase of public consultation closed on 01.04.2015. If the Western Rail Access plans are approved, it is expected that the new service would be in operation by 2021. The scheme is expected to take around four years to complete. Construction compounds will be necessary, and tunnelling works are expected to be a 24-hour operation. Network Rail is currently exploring the best ways to remove from the site the significant amount of earth gained with the excavation of tunnel. Click uk/89 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit http://www.networkrail.co.uk/improvements/western-rail-link-to-heathrow/improving-rail-links-to-heathrow/. 15/15.