Issue - meetings

The Council received the recommendation of the Executive in respect of a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Johnson as follows:

“That this Council:

1)    Notes the UK Government’s invitation in May 2019 for market-led proposals for a new rail link connecting Heathrow Airport from the south and Waterloo and Surrey/Hampshire and this Council’s long-term aspiration for a direct rail link to Heathrow Airport;

2)    supports action to benefit the environment by minimising traffic and pollution by transferring journeys from road to rail;

3)    welcomes the initiative of Heathrow Southern Railway to propose a project involving a direct rail link from Woking to Heathrow Airport including significant sections via tunnels to minimise environmental impact; and

4)    asks the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for Woking to press the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite the process of approving a project and selecting a preferred developer, and to advise members when this has been done.”

The Executive had been supportive of the Motion with the exception of point 3) above, noting that it would be considered premature for the Council to declare support for a particular bidder until it had the opportunity to study the bid(s) in detail.

RESOLVED

That the Motion, as amended by the Executive, be supported as set out below:

“That this Council:

1)         Notes the UK Government’s invitation in May 2019 for market-led proposals for a new rail link connecting Heathrow Airport from the south and Waterloo and Surrey/Hampshire and this Council’s long-term aspiration for a direct rail link to Heathrow Airport;

2)         supports action to benefit the environment by minimising traffic and pollution by transferring journeys from road to rail;

3)         asks the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for Woking to press the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite the process of approving a project and selecting a preferred developer, and to advise members when this has been done.”

Reporting Person – Corporate Management Group

At its meeting on 25 July 2019, the Council referred the following Notice of Motion to the Executive.

Councillor I Johnson

“That this Council:

1)      Notes the UK Government’s invitation in May 2019 for market-led proposals for a new rail link connecting Heathrow Airport from the south and Waterloo and Surrey/Hampshire and this Council’s long-term aspiration for a direct rail link to Heathrow Airport;

2)      supports action to benefit the environment by minimising traffic and pollution by transferring journeys from road to rail;

3)      welcomes the initiative of Heathrow Southern Railway to propose a project involving a direct rail link from Woking to Heathrow Airport including significant sections via tunnels to minimise environmental impact; and

4)      asks the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for Woking to press the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite the process of approving a project and selecting a preferred developer, and to advise members when this has been done.”

Councillor Johnson attended the meeting and spoke in support of the Motion.  The Executive was supportive of the Motion with the exception of point (3) as it would be considered premature for the Council to declare support for a particular bidder until it had the opportunity to study the bid(s) in detail.  The importance of achieving a new direct rail access to Heathrow that stopped at Woking, irrespective of the proposed Heathrow Airport expansion, was raised.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That the Motion, as amended by the Executive, be supported as set out below:

“That this Council:

1)         Notes the UK Government’s invitation in May 2019 for market-led proposals for a new rail link connecting Heathrow Airport from the south and Waterloo and Surrey/Hampshire and this Council’s long-term aspiration for a direct rail link to Heathrow Airport;

2)         supports action to benefit the environment by minimising traffic and pollution by transferring journeys from road to rail; and

3)         asks the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for Woking to press the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite the process of approving a project and selecting a preferred developer, and to advise members when this has been done.”