APPENDIX Tony Kershaw Honorary Secretary

County Hall Chichester West Sussex PO19 1RQ

Telephone 033022 22543 Website: www.gatcom.org.uk

If calling ask for Mrs. Paula Street e-mail: [email protected]

12 October 2015

Dear Sir/Madam,

SURFACE ACCESS AT AIRPORTS

1. GATCOM ( Consultative Committee) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Transport Committee’s inquiry into surface access at airports in the UK.

2. GATCOM is the statutory advisory body for Gatwick Airport and comprises representatives from local authorities, the aviation industry, passengers, business, environmental interests and other users of the airport. We provide a forum for informed discussion leading to the provision of advice to the Government, Gatwick Airport Ltd and other organisations on a range of matters concerning the operation and future development of Gatwick

3. GATCOM welcomes the announcement that the Committee is to conduct an Inquiry on surface access to airports and hopes that the Committee’s findings can be fed into the Government’s consideration of the recommendations of the Airports Commission contained in its Interim and Final reports. It is essential that the Government, working with airport management, the local economic partnership (LEP), local authorities and infrastructure providers, can secure investment in infrastructure over the longer term to support the continued growth of the airport, with or without a second runway.

4. The Airports Commission recommended in its Interim Report a number of measures in respect of the rail and road networks around Gatwick which GATCOM has welcomed and has received unanimous support from its members. GATCOM is currently seeking reassurance from the Government that the recommendations of the Commission will continue to be taken forward and that the funding streams already identified will be maintained, particularly in respect of the redevelopment of Gatwick Station.

5. Efficient, high quality and resilient surface transport to Gatwick benefits not just passengers and airport staff but also the local population and is an integral part of the sustainable growth of the airport. GATCOM is aware that there are concerns about the reliance on a single motorway and a single rail connection to Gatwick and the challenges that reliance brings as the airport continues to grow. The assessments made by both Gatwick Airport Limited and the Airports Commission on the surface access improvements necessary in the short to medium term are supported. It is noted

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however that the Airports Commission in its Final Report commented that no rail schemes were required to specifically support a second runway at Gatwick beyond those needed to support background growth but that a number of schemes for road access were identified. Whilst these conclusions are noted GATCOM wishes to highlight to the Committee the concerns it expressed to the Airports Commission about the capacity constraints of both the motorway and rail connections over the longer term as the growth in passenger throughput at Gatwick reaches the upper end of its intended capacity and the serious implications of this in terms of resilience. GATCOM’s particular comments are as follows:

Rail 6. GATCOM acknowledges the difficult task faces in striking a balance between all the aspirations of the different stakeholders and the need to make best use of the available capacity on the rail network in the South East and to identify priorities for investment. Gatwick’s single rail link, the Brighton Main Line, is one of the most congested and heavily used railway lines in the country. It is vital therefore that investment in addressing the capacity of the line and the alleviating the bottlenecks continues into the future.

7. Gatwick is likely to handle 40 million passengers this year and growth in passenger numbers is expected to continue over the next few years. The current expected growth will result in more passengers and airport staff using the rail network to access the airport. GATCOM is concerned about the continued overcrowding issues on services from Gatwick, particularly in the morning peak which coincides with the airport’s peak arrivals period, and the implications of this for future service patterns and the impact for those stations north of Gatwick. In addition to this, crowding on board trains will not incentivise air passengers to use the train to access the airport which will not assist Gatwick Airport Limited in achieving its surface access target of 60 per cent of air passengers using public transport to and from the airport.

8. In its response to Network Rail’s consultation on the draft Sussex Route Study (now recently published), GATCOM welcomed the detailed analysis that has been undertaken on the forecast demand and capacity gap for peak services into , and the potential opportunities to improve infrastructure to cater for this demand. GATCOM acknowledges Network Rail’s package of proposed interventions and noted that without further interventions beyond those already committed (including the Thameslink programme capacity enhancements), widespread standing in the busiest morning peak is predicted on services from Haywards Heath to London by 2023 and from Hove and Lewes to London by 2043.

9. With the full package of Network Rail’s proposed interventions, widespread peak standing is predicated to be reduced to morning peak services north of Croydon by 2023 and north of Gatwick Airport by 2043. This is of great concern to GATCOM in view of the expected growth in passenger numbers at Gatwick over the next few years and particularly if it is decided that there should be a second runway constructed at Gatwick which will result in significantly more passengers and airport staff using the rail network to access the airport.

10. GATCOM acknowledges that the package is aimed at enhancing capacity, enabling six additional train paths to be provided in the morning peak, and addresses performance issues on this complex stretch of the network. Whilst welcoming the full package and the key priorities such as the additional platform at Redhill and improvements at Windmill Junction north of East Croydon and East Croydon Station, GATCOM remains concerned about the potential for continued overcrowding issues on services north of Gatwick in the morning peak which coincides with the airport’s peak arrivals period and the implications of this for future service patterns particularly for those stations north of Gatwick. In addition to this, crowding on board trains will not incentivise air passengers to use the train to access the airport which will not assist Gatwick Airport Limited in achieving its surface access target of 60 per cent of air passengers using public transport to and from the airport.

11. It is accepted that the Thameslink programme which is due to be completed in 2018 will improve capacity by increasing the number of carriages on trains which together with improvements to junctions and other bottlenecks on the rail network will remove some capacity constraints on the Brighton Mainline. These planned improvements are welcomed but a number of the improvements whilst within the rail industry’s future plans do not yet have committed funding, for example the scheme to remove the bottleneck in the vicinity of East Croydon. It is important therefore that all the appropriate organisations and bodies involved in assessing and funding schemes are also fully committed to the investment needed and can secure the delivery of the necessary improvements at the right time, including the acceleration of funding for improvements in Network Rail’s Control Period 6.

12. GATCOM has serious concerns about the resilience of the Brighton Mainline being the single rail link to the airport. Most of the assessment work undertaken to date has for that reason concentrated on the issues associated with the Brighton Mainline. The Chancellor’s announcement committing funds to the extension of the scope of the Lewes–Uckfield study to look at improving rail links between London and the south coast, including upgrades to existing routes, consideration of the Brighton Main Line corridor, and re-examination of the ’s feasibility study on BML2 is supported. As part of that study, GATCOM hopes that further consideration can be given to the needs and/or potential of the Arun Valley and North Downs lines which could add resilience to the network when there are closures or problems on the main line.

13. Links to the North Downs line are particularly worthy of greater examination as there is a need to create better east/west rail connectivity between Gatwick and Kent to the east and areas to the west of the airport. As part of this, GATCOM continues to urge Network Rail and the train operating companies to consider a direct train service between Kent and Gatwick using the Redhill-Tonbridge Line.

14. GATCOM very much supports the proposed major improvements to Gatwick Station and is pleased that good progress has been made on the scheme design. However, there is a need to ensure that for the longer term, with or without a second runway, plans are put in place to transform the station into a world class full transport interchange between all modes of transport to benefit not only the growth of Gatwick but the region as a whole.

15. As mentioned above, the peak morning capacity constraints look set to continue. GATCOM is concerned about the impact this will have on ensuring the resilience of the Brighton Main Line and the potential to recover from incidents and major disruption.

16. GATCOM is also concerned that there are very few rail services during the night period and early hours leaving passengers and airport staff with no alternative but to use their cars or taxis. GATCOM acknowledges the challenge of balancing the increasing demand for services to be provided around the clock, against the need to ensure that access is available to the network for maintenance to ensure the provision of a safe and reliable rail network. Access to the rail network at off-peak times is a key issue for securing services to/from Gatwick to match flight schedules in the early morning/ late night. Access at early morning/last thing at night is not only important for air passengers, but also for staff working shift patterns at the airport. GATCOM would like to see explored in more detail ways in which new technology could enable shared maintenance and train running access to the network late at night or early in the morning. Currently double track sections south of Three Bridges and along the Arun Valley Line restrict the potential to run additional later evening or early morning services due to the requirements for maintenance possessions of both running lines.

17. In addition to the improvements needed to the infrastructure, it is important that the rolling stock used on services is fully accessible to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility and can accommodate air passengers and their luggage, particularly in respect of the Gatwick Express services.

Motorways 18. The reliance on the M23 as a single strategic highway link to the airport is also of concern to GATCOM. Consideration should be given to enhancing other strategic road links such as the A24 and A23 which could provide an alternative in the event of accidents on the M23 which could lead to its closure. In addition to this, if it is decided that a second runway should be constructed at Gatwick, consideration needs to be given to providing a further motorway spur from the M23 to the airport to help ease potential congestion and to improve resilience.

19. The future capacity of the motorway network must continue to be a key consideration. The M25 and M23 will require further enhancement beyond those schemes already planned over the longer term to accommodate growth not only at Gatwick but across the region as a whole. This is considered vital in order to maintain good connectivity with the wider strategic network serving the airport.

Strategic and Local Road Network 20. The investment needed to support improvements to strategic and local roads network must not be overlooked. As Gatwick continues to grow airport related road trips will increase thus adding to the background growth across the region. Working with local authorities, and the LEP in prioritising transport schemes for funding, the Government needs to ensure that sufficient funding towards Highways England and local authority schemes is available at the right time. Delivering strategic and local schemes to alleviate congestion has a positive effect on airport employees and passengers travelling to and from the airport as journey times will be reduced.

Coach and bus routes 21. The important role that coach and bus services and their routes have in providing passengers and airport staff public transport choices needs to be better recognised and fully embraced by not only the airport management but also by local transport providers and local authorities. Frequent and reliable coach and bus services to those areas not served by the rail network offer the greatest potential to enhance the public transport offering but the introduction of new services would need subsidising until established.

I hope that the Committee can take into account GATCOM’s views.

Yours faithfully,

Assistant Secretary