Site reopening could boost rail’s role in Heathrow Expansion
Posted: 5 July 2019 | Global Railway Review | No comments yet
Rail site three miles north of Heathrow has reopened and could offer a potential rail link to the planned expansion of the airport and the construction of a third runway.
GB Railfreight has assisted in the reopening of a rail site at Link Park Heathrow, just to the north of Heathrow Airport by taking part in a test run which has shown the recreated sidings as suitable for use for the transportation of aggregates to the site.
The test run was successful and site occupier Ashville Aggregates is developing plans to use the site to transport aggregates from the Midlands to their Park Link site.
The site was last used as a railhead in 2013 but since then use has been discontinued and the rail lines had been covered over. Rail consultant, Intermodality, led on the work to uncover and reinstate the lines, and ensure that the sidings were again suitable to for freight train unloading.
The site is just three miles to the north of Heathrow Airport and close to the planned site of the third runway.
GB Railfreight’s test train from the mainline into the sidings to test its operability was successful and the site is now operational.
John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said: “GB Railfreight is pleased to have been able to help in the reopening of this site. The reopening is a clear sign of increasing demand for rail freight services as business look for reliable and more sustainable ways to move freight.
“With each train carrying the equivalent of 60 lorry loads and while emitting a quarter of the emissions of equivalent road transport, rail freight has an increasingly important role to play. With major new infrastructure projects planned to happen close by, including the Heathrow third runway, the site offers a potentially useful rail head to transport material to the area and potentially spoil away.
“We hope that our train will be the first of many into the redeveloped site”
