NEW plans are emerging as part of new plans to build a new rail link which will link Dorset with the UK’s biggest airport.

The concept will give people living in Dorset direct access to Heathrow Airport through a new route could see trains from Woking head directly to Heathrow Airport from the South Western Mainline which runs between London Waterloo and Weymouth.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling recently opened the floor to bids from private companies to build a £1.2 billion southern rail link from Heathrow Airport.

Now, a new rail link has emerged called the Windsor Link Railway (WLR) which will see a new rail tunnel constructed in Windsor to deliver a through railway connecting the South Western and the Great Western main lines and Heathrow Airport.

The proposal was submitted on July 31 as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) call in March for ideas for market-led proposals to enhance the railway, which would need to be financially viable without government support.

The concept was originally put forward by Heathrow Southern Railway Limited (HSRL), an independent venture set up to build the rail link, which expects it could be used by as many as 33,000 people per day, and remove 86 million car kilometres from Britain’s roads every year but now more companies are battling them with rival plans to build the scheme.

George Bathurst, managing director and founder of WLR, said: “We have successfully campaigned for the new government policy to recognise privately-promoted railways.

“We now look forward to the government’s response after the summer and working with them to develop it further.”

“If accepted, this will be the first new railway not requiring net funding from government over its lifetime, since the days of the original railway companies.

“This market-led approach, being promoted by the secretary of state, is the future of our railways and will ultimately replace the current franchise system, leading to lower fares and more reliable journeys.”

Hong Kong rail operator MTR, which co-owns the South Western Railway franchise with FirstGroup has also expressed interest in joining the bid to design, build, finance and operate the southern rail link.

MTR chief executive for Europe Jeremy Long confirmed to the Dorset Echo that the company had “ideas for how to extend the route” and it was “looking closely about how to do more at Heathrow to provide a direct rail link for people across the south including Dorset.

At the same time, proposals have also been developed by engineering consultants Expedition for “HS4Air” (High Speed for Air) will connect the existing HS1 rail line at Ashford to the planned HS2 rail line near Denham along the route that passes Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

The 87-mile-long track for HS4Air will also connect to the South Western Main Line railway (GWML) to the south of Heathrow airport providing direct connections to London Gatwick Airport.

As previously reported, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said earlier this year that he is now “committed” to bringing forward the proposed Southern Rail Link.

Commenting on the bids, Mr Grayling, said: “Governments do not have a monopoly on good ideas for the railways.

“’I have been clear that I want the knowledge and expertise of investors and local partners to contribute to delivering new connections, more services and better journeys for passengers.”

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has welcomed the plans and stressed that improving rail links to Weymouth was vital to creating wealth and prosperity.

He added: “Better connectivity for South Dorset is welcomed particularly from Heathrow as the implications for business and tourism would be extremely good.”