Forum Topic

"To quote from the front page of this website:"The scheme is being promoted by Wandsworth Council and is based on BAA's Airtrack scheme. It would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5 with stops at Clapham Junction and Putney. The plans avoid routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham. This was a key problem with the original scheme which was scrapped by BAA in April."With respect it is not a direct link between Chiswick and Heathrow if the trains don't stop at Chiswick. If the service is introduced, one could travel from Chiswick to Staines and join a Heathrow bound train at Staines or one could travel in the other direction from Heathrow to Staines and join a Chiswick bound train at Staines.At this stage I am neither for or against the proposals. I would however be concerned if it meant any additional closures of the level crossing on Grove Park Terrace and if it increased parking problems around Chiswick Station.It may be some use to people who live close to Chiswick Station but those who live further away or on the North Side of the A4 may prefer to use other means of travelling to and from Heathrow, especially if they are disabled, elderly, accompanied by young children or carrying luggage. The scheme may certainly be of benefit to Wandsworth and Lambeth residents who live further from Heathrow than Chiswick and who must find it much more difficult to travel to and from Heathrow than people who live in West London.Chiswick Station is a convenient means of travelling to Gatwick via Clapham Junction and it used to be a convenient way of travelling to Paris or Brussels via Waterloo but in neither case would I describe the service as a direct link.

David Giles ● 4939d