Hounslow council seeks mayoral support

Councillors of the local authority responsible for the London borough of Hounslow are calling for the support of London mayor Boris Johnson in their campaign to integrate the Heathrow Express into Transport for London's fare structure.

Such integration could see significantly cheaper tickets for those living in the capital who make use of this popular service.

At present, a single journey on the Heathrow Express costs £20, but Hounslow Council believes this amount could be brought down significantly if the transportation network is integrated into the Oyster Card payment scheme.

Councillor Colin Ellar, cabinet member for environment, believes the issue is one that can no longer be ignored.

"Travellers are paying sky high prices to use the Heathrow Express," he said. "Having an expensive, premium service when other ways of getting to Heathrow, like the Piccadilly line are creaking under the strain, is a luxury we can no longer afford."

Mr Ellar urged the London mayor to throw his support behind the campaign, arguing that its goal would mean "fair fares for all and would help make a better not a bigger airport for Londoners and international travellers too".

Hounslow Council believes that the current £20 fare is particularly expensive when compared to similar services throughout Europe, with some airport-Central Lines costing as little as two euros.

The local authority has a vested interest in reducing the cost of the Heathrow Express as doing so would encourage more people to reach the airport via public transport, thus lowering the area's carbon emissions.

Projects surrounding the airport including High Speed Two, Crossrail and Airtrack Light are expected to result in a surge of people visiting the borough of Hounslow, with shops, hotels and other facilities expected to benefit.

Whether the mayor will heed the call of the council and aid the campaign remains to be seen.

Published 11th April, 2013

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