In a written response to a question by Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has ruled out building a link connecting Heathrow airport to the High Speed 2 line between London and the north of England before 2033. It had been thought that a final decision over this link would be held until after the Davies Airport Commission reported. HS2’s originally planned connection to the airport via a rail link from Old Oak Common is now the preferred and only option. Heathrow Airport said in a statement:
Whilst the HS2 spur is not part of our case for expansion, we do believe cities in the Midlands and the North would benefit from the shorter journey times to the UK’s hub.