A boost for business

I have recently joined with Slough MP Tan Dhesi to campaign for the proposal to build a new railway into Heathrow.

This Western Rail link is planned to run from the main line, at a point between Langley and Iver, into Heathrow, allowing passengers from the west of the country to travel into the airport without having to go via
London Paddington.

It will mean journey times of around 26 minutes from Reading and only six minutes from Slough. It will help ease congestion on the already busy roads around Heathrow and reduce CO2 emissions, and will involve only 6 km of track with relatively few land or technical obstacles to overcome. There will be obvious benefits for businesses in West Berkshire which already has a higher proportion of 21st century high-tech businesses than any other local authority in the country. Estimates say that it will generate a predicted £800 million of economic growth across the Thames Valley. Alongside the electrification of the main line, the advent of Crossrail and the provision of superfast broadband, this vital piece of infrastructure is another reason why West Berkshire will continue to be a great place to start and grow a business.
Rt Hon Richard Benyon MP for
Newbury