Anthony Smith (AS) – HATF Chair
Mark Frost (MF) – HATF Independent Technical Advisor
Andy Shaw (AS) – Confederation of Passenger Transport UK Coaching Manager
Alan Tilly (AT) – Hillingdon Council Transport Planning and Development Team Manager
Chris Joyce (CJ) – Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Assistant Director of Placemaking, Partnerships and Sustainability
Christian Wolmar (CW) – London Cycling Campaign Trustee
Liz Garlinge (LG) – National Highways Network Development Director
Jack Harrison (JH) – Department for Transport (DfT) Head of Surface Access, Heathrow Expansion
Laura Keith (LK) – Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA) Head of Communications and Engagement
Lindsey Oliver (LO) – Unite the Union Co-ordinating Officer
Matt Haywood (MH) – Network Rail Lead Strategic Planner
Nigel Wicking (NW) – Airline Operators’ Committee (AOC) Chief Executive
Puja Bedi (PB) – Local Community Forum (LCF) Representative
Shamal Ratnayaka (SR) – Transport for London Aviation Strategy Lead
Susan James (SJ) – Transport Watchdog Head of Casework
Tanvi Vyas (TV) – Heathrow Access Advisory Group (HAAG) Representative
Tiana Kristeen (TK) – CISHA Project Manager
Kerry Bangle (KB) – HAL (Heathrow Airport Limited) Surface Access Director
Tim Leech (TL) – HAL Head of Surface Access Strategy – Expansion
Elizabeth Beale (EB) – HAL Head of Sustainable Travel
Sarah Turner (ST) – HAL Sustainable Travel & Policy Lead
Catherine Warwick-Wilson (CWW) – HAL Sustainable Travel Manager
Apologies
None.
Live Actions
Action 25
HAL: to provide more detail about plan for hitting the target for carbon emissions
Update: A Surface Access/Carbon task force was established earlier in the year and work is ongoing, however the colleague leading the group is moving to a new role and so there is a pause and rethink about how this moves forward.
Action 27
HAL to look into understanding Kiss and Fly users, and how we can move them along the ‘Sustainability Spectrum’ onto parking or more sustainable modes.
Update: Presented in slides below.
Action 35
HAL to share where passengers are coming from alongside the mode split, alongside the mode split, and also how the overall PT total breaks down across modes.
Update: Presented in slides below.
Action 36
AS to produce blog post on Christmas Day bus services.
Update: Anthony to publish this in Nov/Dec this year ahead of 2026 Christmas Day services
Action 41
HAL: share mode share by Passenger purpose
Update: Presented in slides below.
Action 42
HAL (AW) share mode share by passenger purpose
Update: This will be covered in expansion SIG meetings as part of modelling discussions
Action 43
HATF: Chair: send letter to CAA & DfT regarding approach to Surface Access
Update: Drafted and circulated to Board – comments will be collated and incorporated before sending
1. Welcome and Introductions
The Chair, Anthony Smith (AS), welcomed attendees to the fourth Board meeting of 2026. Kerry Bangle (KB), new Surface Access Director, and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beale (EB), new Head of Sustainable Travel, were introduced.
2. Actions from previous meetings
Sarah Turner (ST) provided action updates:
- Action 25: There is a pause to the work the Surface Access/Carbon Taskforce established due to the lead leaving the business. The approach to addressing this is being considered.
- Actions 27, 35 and 41: ST presented data and key takeaways in the meeting.
- Action 26: AS will write a blog on the 2025 Heathrow Christmas Day public transport services, to be published late-November, early- December.
- Action 43: Mark Frost (MF) referred to the draft letter to the Minister regarding H8 proposals, issued to members recently. Tim Leech (TL) explained that the CAA’s interim settlement excluded several of Heathrow’s proposed sustainable Surface Access projects, reducing the overall capital allowance from around £10bn requested to just under £6bn. Heathrow is seeking reinstatement of some projects, supported by stronger safety and operational cases, with an outcome expected later this year. MF noted that projected passenger growth could significantly affect the surrounding transport network, and members agreed that Surface Access impacts, weighting and methodology should be better assessed in CAA decisions. As the CAA had not responded to HATF’s invitation to discuss the issue, a draft letter to the minister was prepared, with final comments requested before issue in the week commencing 21 September.
- Tiana Kristeen (TK) asked whether HAL had access to research which explained why passengers choose different modes, including whether the drop-off charge affects the choice between driving and the Elizabeth line. The team said relevant research exists and MF agreed to share a paper on this topic.
3. Heathrow update
TL talked through the new Surface Access organisation chart indicating recent changes to the team, including the departure of Matthew Wooll and that Peter Bradley has stepped in as interim support to cover the Route Development Lead role on a part-time basis.
TL provided a Heathrow business update:
- Heathrow Profiler data on passenger public transport mode share was presented, and there was some discussion about the discrepancy between CAA and Profiler data. Jack Harrison (JH) acknowledged the concern and stated the DfT and CAA were looking into this.
- TL reported that four new coach bays will increase central bus station capacity by around 36%, supporting larger vehicles, operational efficiency and route growth. Bus and coach use has risen, supported by Heathrow investment and pricing measures to manage demand. Tanvi Vyas (TV) highlighted the need to design bays for different accessible coach types. EB noted that there is ongoing work in the team related to improving information about accessibility improvements and provision that is available on Heathrow websites.
- EB outlined recent changes in the ongoing BAU Strategy work, the Sustainable Travel Zone and the Surface Access Projects. A question was raised about how local authorities use revenue generated from PCNs from PSPOs and CPZs and whether it was ringfenced for transport spending. Alan Tilly (AT) offered to check this and confirm with the Board.
4. 2025 Annual Travel Report
Catherine Warwick-Wilson (CWW) presented a summary of the report that had recently been published online:
- CWW reported strong progress against the Surface Access targets, including early achievement of the 45% passenger public transport mode-share target, reduced colleague single-occupancy car use, a 29% reduction in Surface Access emissions, and achievement of public transport journey-time catchment targets.
- CWW highlighted several key achievements in 2025, including significant increases in Way2Go engagement, with 57 roadshow events reaching around 3,000 Team Heathrow colleagues, 6,700 registered users on the Way2Go app, and Heathrow’s ongoing support and funding for free or discounted travel for colleagues on 21 services. In addition, a new Way2Go Action Group has been established to widen engagement across Team Heathrow.
- Other key achievements included the £5m investment decision to improve the Central Bus Station, and ongoing growth of STZ bus and coach services. As these were presented as percentages on individual routes, it was requested that an overall absolute aggregated figure was collated and share with the Board so they could better understand the scale of the growth.
5. H8 Surface Access Delivery Plan
EB outlined the plans for development of the Heathrow Surface Access Delivery Plan for H8, which will supersede the current Surface Access Strategy document (2022-2026). In particular, EB noted:
- It will align with the H8 regulatory period (2027-2031), rather than following the previous four-year format.
- Heathrow is scoping the roadmap and intends to engage stakeholders, including HATF, between November and February. Publication is expected to be around May 2027.
- The new plan is expected to retain the previous approach of combining measurable targets with broader aspirations.
- The CAA’s forthcoming Surface Access policy and the eventual CAA settlement may affect the plan, especially the scale of capital projects Heathrow can fund. Heathrow will need to align the delivery plan with the regulatory framework and available investment.
6. Expansion update
TL shared an overview of Heathrow’s engagement with HATF (through the HATF Expansion Group) and recent milestones, including the Transport Select Committee and upcoming public consultations.
- TL noted the wide range of topics that had been discussed in previous Expansion Group meetings and noted that work on parking and colleague strategy would be brought to future meetings.
- TL explained that Heathrow’s transport models will forecast passenger and colleague demand across transport modes and networks, including parking, bus and coach capacity, and road and public transport impacts. TRIMMS will act as a long-term monitoring and mitigation framework to manage uncertainty, triggering action in the future where defined impact thresholds are met.
- MF noted concerns around proving future Heathrow-related impacts and confirmed rail is excluded from the consultation model because no scheme is sufficiently developed. Members also asked for parking supply scenarios to be tested, with TL confirming sensitivity options are being developed.
7. Draft HENPS/Transport Select Committee response
MF shared a summary of HATF’s position on the draft HENPS, noting in particular:
- Concerns around the removal of a no more traffic pledge and specific targets for colleague travel and how passenger mode share targets have been developed
- Concerns about affordability
- The plan for rail links
- The need for greater ambition on bus and coach and active travel
- The need for more thinking around parking strategies, including the suggestion of a workplace parking levy
- Concern around the lack of onus on promoters to demonstrate network resilience
- Differences between CAA and Heathrow data
- Economic development of the subregion
- How ‘credible plan’ would be defined
AS asked various Board members for their views on expansion, including: Nigel Wicking (NW) who confirmed that the airlines are supportive of expansion but not at any cost; Lindsey Olliver (LO) who said that Unite are in favour of expansion; and Cllr Bedi (PB) who noted that there are mixed views in Slough and Colnbrook, in part due to other development linked to data centres in the area and concerns around blight.
8. Planning for HATF Wider Forum Event (Nov 2026)
AS shared an overview of plans for the Wider Transport Forum Event in November. Key takeaways included:
- The board were in agreement that the plan (which follows a similar format to previous events) was good.
- Board members highlighted the importance of using the event to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with key decision makers and encourage meaningful discussion.
- The networking opportunities during the event were valued by attendees.The potential attendance of a Government Minister was noted.
- Board members agreed that the event content should cover a balance of business as usual and expansion.
9. AOB
Christian Wolmar (CW) noted that the board had not had a recent update on active travel provision and that more information would be appreciated.