This website is the site of the AirTrack Forum, an association of organisations which support in principle the creation of a new direct rail link connecting Heathrow to the South West Trains rail network to the south and west of London.

The specifics of the current "Heathrow Airtrack" proposal are the responsibility of BAA/HAL (Heathrow Airport Ltd) as scheme promoters; as are the associated consultations taking place during 2008, which are also being conducted by BAA, rather the AirTrack Forum.

To offer comments or participate in the 2008 consultations being undertaken by BAA, please follow the link below to BAA's Heathrow Airtrack web page:

Click here to view the BAA Heathrow Airtrack page.

The AirTrack Forum believes that AirTrack is one of the most cost-effective rail schemes currently under consideration anywhere in the UK.  It is a close fit with regional and national policies.

Rail access to Heathrow from the area to the south and west of London - and much of southern England - is poor, so it is not surprising that the concept of a new link has been the subject of a number of major project proposals over the last 30 years.

AirTrack would, at last, address this need for air passengers, as well as improving public transport access to Heathrow in its role as a major transport and employment hub.  It would assist in tackling the very real issues of traffic congestion in this busy area.

Studies completed in 2004 and 2005 confirmed the practical and economic viability of the proposal. In 2006, BAA Ltd announced that it would provide the funding for HAL to promote a Transport and Works Act order for the scheme. This would give powers to construct and operate the railway, acquire the necessary land and associated planning consents. Work towards the achievement of this objective is now well under way.

As part of this process, BAA is consulting widely on various aspects of the project during 2008. A first-stage consultation, focusing on the works required to provide the link from Terminal 5 to Staines, was launched in February. A second stage consultation, running from October -December 2008, covers developments arising from the first consultation and also looks at wider aspects of the scheme.  Downloadable versions of the consultation brochures can be found via BAA's Heathrow Airtrack web page .

The AirTrack Forum believes that AirTrack is urgently required to meet the public transport demands of a five-terminal Heathrow, regardless of whether or not any further airport development ultimately happens.

The Forum recognises that there are genuine concerns about the environmental impacts of the scheme, but believes these can and should be mitigated through careful design and appropriate measures.