Plymouth's rail task force has written to colleagues in the Thames Valley backing their calls for a new rail link to Heathrow.

Journey times to Heathrow could be sliced by three quarters of an hour if a six kilometre link from the country’s busiest airport to the main Great Western Railway is built.

The link would spell the end of passengers travelling all the way into London Paddington before going back out to Heathrow to catch flights or the alternative of catching a coach from Reading.

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The task force has pledged its support to the Western Rail Access to Heathrow (WRAtH) project and has written to the Chief Executive of Slough Borough Council, which has instigated the project.

Clive Perkin, Assistant Director for Transport and Infrastructure at Plymouth City Council, said: "This is an issue we raised in our recent consultation to the Greater Western Franchise Replacement as this has the potential to deliver economic benefits to the South West.

"Better rail connectivity is vital to the region as it provides the main form of public transport not just to the capital but to London Heathrow.

"So much business traffic comes through this airport that we need to look at how we work with other organisations to form a long-term plan to improve the connections we have. It is good for employment opportunities and potential investors in the region."

(CD/GK)