Help us make our railways better
The reasons for change
Fragmented rail network
Capacity problems on main lines. Branch lines under-utilisedThe railways into London can be fast but operating at capacity. Service resilience problems aggravated a lack of alternative routes and north-south connectivity, funnelling people via Reading or London
Severe road congestion
Unreliable journey times on key strategic routesThe M4 is nearing capacity, currently taking 130,000 journeys per day. Unpopular congestion taxes are being mooted to allow Heathrow expansion but many journeys will still only be practical by road.
Poor air quality CO2 and NOx
28,000 premature deaths p.a. from pollutionThe EU has issued the UK a ‘final warning’ for NO2 emissions. It’s a key challenge for expanding Heathrow, although 16% of pollution on nearby roads is from the airport, most being from roads
Housing shortage
Home ownership increasingly out-of-reach for young peopleSlough’s population has grown by 24% since 2001. 14,000 new dwellings are being planned in Windsor and Maidenhead. Heathrow expansion requires 70,800 new homes across London and SE
Geographical Map
The Windsor Link Railway’s model for procuring new rail infrastructure doesn’t just apply to Windsor. It enables new links all over the country, extending to the north and the south, orbitally around London.
Phases
Our Local MPs say
“I want better rail services for the residents of Windsor, Ascot and Bracknell. It’s therefore encouraging to see the Windsor Link Railway making progress. From my experience in business, I know that efficiency – and thus economic growth – comes from getting the small things right, so it is good to see a private company doing its bit.”
“Better rail services are important for the people of Surrey Heath. This is why I am encouraged to see proposals such as the Windsor Link Railway, which would make it easier to connect Farnborough, Camberley and Bagshot direct to Heathrow as well as to the Thames Valley.”
“We desperately need better infrastructure that serves the public good. That’s why the kind of investment that built our great railway network should be encouraged. Such investment would be profit-making with commercial risks borne by entrepreneurs, not taxpayers. The Windsor Link proposal must not be neglected.”
“I would like to express my broad support for the ideas behind the WLR scheme; I would be delighted if WLR could be a pilot that shows the way for sustainable investment in new railway infrastructure across the country whilst relieving the cost to taxpayers.”
