News Articles
Sep 12, 2011
STREETER BACKS BID FOR HEATHROW RAIL LINK
South West Devon MP Gary Streeter has today written to the Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond inviting him to come to Plymouth to hear from the local business community the importance of a direct rail link between Plymouth and Heathrow airport to boost the connectivity of the region.
Mr Streeter is picking up on recent discussions between Network Rail and the British Airport Authority (BAA) over a proposed direct link between Reading and Heathrow with four high speed trains an hour which would effectively mean a link from the far south west to Heathrow without going through London.
“Coming at the same time as the sad announcement of the closure of Plymouth Airport, a direct high speed rail link to Heathrow could really put Plymouth back on the map,” said Mr Streeter. “I have invited the Transport Secretary to hear first hand from the Plymouth business community just how significant this step could be and to urge him to make it a reality as quickly as possible.”
Mr Streeter said that he intended to include Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Manufacturers Group and the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce as well as his fellow MPs in the visit so that the Transport Secretary came away in no doubt about our commitment to improve connectivity in the far south west.
Mr Streeter is picking up on recent discussions between Network Rail and the British Airport Authority (BAA) over a proposed direct link between Reading and Heathrow with four high speed trains an hour which would effectively mean a link from the far south west to Heathrow without going through London.
“Coming at the same time as the sad announcement of the closure of Plymouth Airport, a direct high speed rail link to Heathrow could really put Plymouth back on the map,” said Mr Streeter. “I have invited the Transport Secretary to hear first hand from the Plymouth business community just how significant this step could be and to urge him to make it a reality as quickly as possible.”
Mr Streeter said that he intended to include Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Manufacturers Group and the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce as well as his fellow MPs in the visit so that the Transport Secretary came away in no doubt about our commitment to improve connectivity in the far south west.