David Walters wrote:
On Sun, 21 May 2017 08:58:21 -0000 (UTC), Recliner wrote:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/crossrail-hits-buffers-at-heathrow-jwrcctt60?shareToken=703895969b67292fe9096b3e8da8e f44

Extracts:

The airport’s owners — a consortium of mostly foreign investment funds —
want to recoup its past spending on the private train line with an
“investment recovery charge” of £570 for every train that uses the track,
plus extra fees of about £107 per train.

Transport chiefs and the rail watchdog argue there is no justification for
such a historic charge, and fear it could mean higher ticket prices. The
Department for Transport reckons the extra charges would cost Crossrail
£42m a year.

A High Court judge is expected to rule imminently on the row after Heathrow
challenged the watchdog’s decision to reject the charges. Under contingency
plans drawn up by Transport for London, Crossrail trains could terminate a
few miles short of the airport, with passengers forced to transfer onto
other trains at a suburban station. The trains would then head back to
central London, dodging the £700 fees.

There is apparently an agreement:
https://your.heathrow.com/elizabeth-...sted-services/

"Heathrow, Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport
have agreed a commitment to boost integrated rail connectivity to the
airport, including the addition of two new Elizabeth Line trains per
hour serving Terminal 5 from December 2019."

Including Oyster payment for Heathrow Express

"From May 2018, new ticket readers will be installed at Heathrow, meaning
passengers using Heathrow Express and TfL Rail between Paddington and
Heathrow will be able to use pay as you go Oyster or a contactless
device."

I'm glad sense has prevailed. It's also good that HAL is allowing Elizabeth
Line trains to serve T5 as well as T4.

With 6 tph rather than 4 tph, and the hope to increase it to 8 tph, that's
a big increase in Elizabeth line services to Heathrow, which will also
reduce the number of Paddington reversers. It should take some pressure off
the Piccadilly line, too.

It's not clear if the stations will be in zone 6 for Oyster, the same as
the Heathrow Tube stations. I certainly hope so, or it's going to be very
confusing. I guess a premium fare still have to be paid on HEx first class,
but it sounds like there won't be a premium for HEx standard class.

I wonder if this outbreak of reasonableness has anything to do with
approval for the third runway?