PLANS have been unveiled for a £1 billion rail project to link Dorset with the UK’s biggest airport.

Heathrow Southern Railway (HSR) has announced a new route could see trains from Woking head directly to Heathrow Airport at identical fares to those if you were on your way from Weymouth to London Waterloo.

The project could also see direct access to the airport from towns such as Basingstoke, Weybridge, Guildford, Woking with a view to connecting to Weymouth, Bournemouth and Southampton in the future.

Construction of the project will be privately financed, with HSR’s ownership remaining in the private sector after completion.

Currently, Heathrow is inaccessible by direct trains from the south and south west with passengers having to rely on services such as the Heathrow RailAir link from Woking railway station however this new link would change that.

A spokesperson for HSR said: “We strongly believe HSR has the potential to bring significant connectivity benefits to Weymouth and the wider south of England.”

A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: “A new Southern rail link connecting Heathrow is a huge opportunity to connect an additional 4.8 million passengers to Heathrow and treble our rail capacity by 2040.

“With this plan, we can take more cars off the road and make it easier for passengers and colleagues to access the airport via sustainable public transport.”

“Southern Rail Access in addition to Crossrail, Western Rail Access, HS2 via Old Oak Common and an upgraded Piccadilly Line service will place Heathrow at the heart of an integrated rail system, and build on the airport’s strength as the UK’s best-connected transport hub.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “We are currently in initial discussions with would-be private promoters of southern access.

“Indeed, we intend to invite proposals for private investment in southern access to Heathrow in the next couple of months.

“I think that there is a genuine opportunity there to lever in private financial support for that particular investment.”

Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “This is an interesting proposal that will help people be able to get direct access to Heathrow airport from the south coast.”

South Dorset MP Richard Drax, said: “Better connectivity for South Dorset is welcomed particularly from Heathrow as the implications for business and tourism would be extremely good.”

Lorna Carver, director of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Our transport network is critical to the future growth and prosperity of Dorset – any investment in its infrastructure is to be welcomed.

“Rail connections to major cities and important airports need to be improved locally and regionally for our economy to grow and thrive.”

The group claim that the project will provide significant crowding relief to the South Western main line and the London Underground network at Waterloo for onward journeys.

HSR is hoping to open the line as early as 2025 subject to a number of legal and planning processes.

South Coast Main Line study

A NEW high-speed rail link could benefit Dorset residents.

A study by the East Sussex Rail Alliance has proposed a new £2 billion rail link which will see a new high-speed line from Ashford in Kent to Exeter in Devon creating a direct rail link along the south coast.

Under the proposals, the project would be developed in phases which will involve the Marshlink and Coastway Lines between Ashford International and Eastleigh being electrified with overhead wires as well as being completely resignalled.

From Eastleigh, track between Eastleigh and Exeter St Davids along the Romsey to Salisbury Line and the West of England Main Line which runs through north Dorset would be upgraded and resignalled with third rail. A transport interchange would be provided at Ashford International for connections to High Speed One services while park and rides facilities could be provided at Eastbourne, Brighton, Portsmouth and Southsea and Eastleigh. However, south Dorset residents would have to travel to Eastleigh to connect with the proposed route or to travel to either Sherborne or Gillingham.

In a statement, the East Sussex Rail Alliance said: “A modest scheme as proposed for the South Coast Main Line which supports the Network Rail aspiration for an AC overhead line and connecting HS1. The project will provide a massive incentive to the private sector to invest where quality employment is resident but not attracted in numbers to use the South Coast as their place of work, as well as opening up new opportunities for coastal communities with substantial voting influence.”

Bruce Wilkinson, national spokesman for campaign group Railfuture welcomed the project but raised concerns that it could take a long time to come to reality.

Mr Wilkinson added that the project could result in shorter rail journey times with much faster-connected trains for passengers across Dorset.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax, said: “I welcome any rail initiative which improves connectivity. Personally, though, I think we should first concentrate our effort to upgrade the Salisbury line and Yeovil Junction.

“I am glad to see that the momentum for a better rail infrastructure in the south is gathering apace.

“It would certainly provide better public transport and less congestion and pollution on our roads.”

A Department for Transport spokesman said that no formal bid has been made yet on the plans.

While there is no set timescale on the plans, the proposals are expected to be discussed in more detail later this year.