Heathwick is an informal name for a proposal to create a high-speed rail link between London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports, in effect to combine them into a single airport. Proponents argue this would balance their capacity and so reduce the need to add more runways to Heathrow, or more airports in the south-east of England. In 2018 the similar project HS4Air was proposed.
History
A similar plan was first mooted in the 1990s, then by the British Chambers of Commerce in 2009. Consideration of it by the UK government began in October 2011, when it was dubbed 'Heathwick' by the UK press.
Proposals
The scheme envisages a high-speed rail route linking the two airports in 15 minutes, with trains travelling at a top speed of parallel to the M25 and passengers passing through immigration or check-in only once. It is hoped that this streamlined immigration/check-in procedure would enable passengers arriving at one airport and departing on a connecting flight from the other to complete the transfer process within 75 minutes, thereby increasing its attractiveness as a viable alternative to changing flights at an overseas hub airport. To make a combined Heathwick hub work, Gatwick would assume the role of a short- and medium-haul feeder for Heathrow's long-haul flights. The scheme's success rests on the assumption that a high-speed Gatwick-Heathrow rail link would increase the value of the former's takeoff and landing slots to a point where it will be attractive for low/no frills airlines that presently account for more than half of its traffic to sell these to full-service rivals and move their operations to other London airports Stansted, Luton or Southend. This would ensure that Gatwick has sufficient room to accommodate the large number of short-/medium-haul flights needed to feed Heathrow's long-haul services, given that it is already running at 80% capacity. Gatwick would also be required to build a second runway to cope with the huge influx of new short and medium haul flights moving in from Heathrow and to create an effective four runway hub with Heathrow. Proponents of Heathwick argue that at an estimated cost of £5 billion it is a viable alternative to the politically fraught provision of additional runway capacity at existing airports in the Southeast of England and much cheaper and less time-consuming than building a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary. In 2013 a group called Interlinking Transit Solutions Ltd submitted proposals to the House of CommonsTransport Select Committee which outlined a privately financedrapid transit system named London Air Rail Transit system. This orbitallight rail system would follow the M25 route on an elevated guideway from Luton Airport in the north, around to Heathrow and terminating at Gatwick. It would include connections to several radial railway lines with interchanges at , , , and . Further extensions as far as Stansted Airport are also envisaged. Special light railrolling stock would be designed to carry baggage, cargo and mail.
Industry reaction
The aviation and rail industry's initial response has been overwhelmingly negative: British Airways said it would not address the South-East's looming airport capacity crunch, which it said must be alleviated to maintain the UK's global competitiveness. EasyJet vowed to fight a forcible move from Gatwick. RyanairCEOMichael O'Leary doubted the feasibility of the Heathwick high-speed rail link in the foreseeable future due to its high cost. BAA and an unnamed rail executive questioned the project's success on grounds of technical, operational, political and financial difficulties as well as long time scales.
Present alternatives
To travel between London airports the following options are available:
A bus transfer from Heathrow serves Feltham railway station; from there, passengers can take a train to, where they can change onto a train to Gatwick Airport. A minimum of 80 minutes should be expected depending on waits for connection.
A shuttle bus from Luton Airport connects with ; from there, Thameslink trains run directly to Gatwick Airport. Total journey time is approximately 2 hours.
Coaches go directly between the airports and take around 75 minutes, plus waiting time
Taxis take around 45 minutes if there is little traffic, however, this journey may take more than double that in poor traffic.
All options require going through immigration and baggage delivery, and then to check-in again, which adds to the transfer time. People having only hand luggage might get their boarding pass before first flight and can therefore bypass baggage delivery and check-in, but a security check must of course be performed.
Future connections
From 2022, Elizabeth line trains will run from all Heathrow Airport terminal stations into central London. Passengers will be able to change at onto Thameslink trains to either Luton or Gatwick Airport, and at Liverpool Street for Stansted or Southend Airport.
