The Royal Boroughs aviation forum has put forward wish list for transport infrastructure improvements needed to mitigate impacts from Heathrow planned expansion.

In July last year, the Government received Heathrow Airport initial proposals for a 3,500m third runway, with the project expected to cost £49billion.

In November, the Government said this is its preferred plan for expansion over a rival bid.

The councils attention has now shifted to ensuring the negative impacts of the scheme on Windsor and Maidenhead are minimised.

A strategy document has been developed to define the borough core demands from the airport, the Government and airlines.

Three of RBWMs key priorities are controlling night flights, getting local environmental benefits, and an economic deal locally.

The document is also encouraging the establishment of airport-funded development groups to deliver better transport between the airport and the local area.

At a meeting of the councils aviation forum on Tuesday (April 14), councillors delved into a wish list of specific transport improvements for the borough.

Councillor Mark Howard (Lib Dem, Bisham and Cookham) said: We should be putting in quite a lot of ideas and some of them can be quite expensive because if this goes ahead, the Government and Heathrow are wanting to make people happy a little bit or at least take the sting out of it.

Dug Tremellen, the councils transport policy manager, presented a list of high-level proposals linked to Heathrow and its expansion.

It included highway improvements, having a direct Western Rail link between the Great Western mainline and the airport as well as improving bus links and addressing congestion.

Windsor town centre is currently faced with substantial congestion part of which is exacerbated by traffic heading to Heathrow but trying to avoid the motorway, Mr Tremellen said.

Chris Joyce, the councils assistant director of placemaking partnerships and sustainability, said that in previous conversations with Heathrow, the airport was mindful about bringing bus routes through Windsor town centre and better connecting with the area due to these congestion issues.

He added: I personally think some pump priming, asking Heathrow to pump prime bus services is a fairly low-cost task but it could have quiet significant benefits to residents.

Mr Tremellen said the A404 provides relief to the M25 between the M4 and the M40 specifically at times when there is congestion or construction but upgrades to the dual carriageway have been unfunded.

There is a real case here for the airport supporting that work to finally go ahead, he added.

The A308 corridor also goes through some of the communities that will be most impacted by the development, not just in terms of traffic, but noise and environmental impacts as well.

Mr Joyce said: This might not also be just about improvements as a result of the direct impact of the traffic from the development but also as a kind of compensatory piece that says, these particular communities are quite significantly impacted by the airport in a number of different ways.

A Western Rail link could also offer direct trains to Heathrow Airport from the Great Western mainline including Maidenhead and Slough railway stations.

The project has long been championed by Slough MP Tan Dhesi.

The Royal Borough, along with other councils such as Slough, is working with the Heathrow strategic planning group (HSPG) to reduce the negative impacts of the expansion.

Cllr Richard Coe (Lib Dem, Riverside) attends some of these meetings, where members discussed the need for a Western Rail link to cope with current traffic.

He said: The airport are sort of putting forward that they do not think they need it until runway three is fully operational and up to capacity.

There is a giant misunderstanding or disagreement between the airport and neighbouring councils about the urgency of providing this infrastructure.

He added transport is an area where RBWM is hoping to develop a more detailed policy ask for the borough from the airport.

I think Heathrow Western Rail link will be right at the top of that list, he added.

But Mr Joyce said there needs to be clarity from the Government and Heathrow on who will spearhead the Western Rail Link to Heathrow project and how it will be funded.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) after the forum meeting, a Heathrow spokesperson said: Heathrow expansion will not just upgrade our international connections it will improve local infrastructure too.

We already subsidise many local bus connections, including the innovative Go2Gate demand responsive service, and we are keen to continue speaking with councils about how we can collectively improve local transport, and would encourage them to share ideas as we progress through the planning process.

We have long supported rail upgrades and getting the right balance on transport in and around the airport is a key focus of the Governments upcoming policy review which will help inform our plans.

This summer, the Department for Transport is due to run a consultation on updates to the airports national policy statement effectively the guide against which the development consent order will be assessed.

In September, Heathrow is then expecting to run a public consultation the first opportunity where more information about the plans will come forward for the public.