Plans to increase rail connections to Heathrow are to be put forward for public consultation.

Spelthorne Council has agreed to draft a planning brief for public consultation on the Airtrack proposals, which aim to provide rail access to the airport from areas to the west and south.

Connection to the existing rail network would be achieved by constructing a new link from the airport to the London Waterloo lines at Staines.

A new section of track is proposed to run alongside South Street connecting the Reading and Windsor lines known as the Staines Chord, and north west of the junction with the Windsor line a new station is planned to the north of the High Street. The agreed brief gives guidance on issues affecting Spelthorne. The whole stretch of track, apart from a section below ground north of the M25, Junction 14, is in Spelthorne.