BAA CAMPAIGN TO SAVE GATWICK EXPRESS GATHERS STRENGTH
AS DEDICATED RAIL-AIR LINK IS VOTED TOP BY PASSENGERS

20 December 2004

Airport operator BAA today announced overwhelming support for its
campaign to Save The Gatwick Express - on the day that the high speed
rail-air link was voted top train service in the country by passengers.

In just two weeks, BAA has received nearly 500 e-mails and letters of
support from passengers - both commuters and air travellers - backing
the campaign to stop proposals by the Strategic Rail Authority to
scrap the airport's dedicated train link to London.

BAA Gatwick's deputy managing director Paul Griffiths said: "It's
ironic that just as our campaign gathers strength the SRA's own
surveys demonstrate that, for the third time in a row, the Gatwick
Express service is the best in the country.

"To us it seems ridiculous to even contemplate scrapping this service
and replacing with trains that force commuters and air travellers -
both with very different travel needs - to fight for space between
them. Hundreds of passengers have responded in support of our
campaign. We would repeat our plea to the SRA to think again."

The National Passenger Survey results, published twice a year, showed
that Gatwick Express received the highest ratings for overall
satisfaction out of all the train operators (93 per cent). Passenger
satisfaction in seven key areas including punctuality, length of
journey time, cleanliness and comfort of seats had all improved since
the survey in the spring. The only area where passenger satisfaction
declined was in the amount of seats/ standing space.

The Gatwick Express trains are specially designed for air travellers,
with space for luggage and staff trained to look after the needs of
foreign passengers.

As part of its consultation on the future of the Brighton mainline
which runs directly through the airport, the SRA has set out options
that would result in a new Gatwick Express service with all these
premium features removed.

BAA's view is that the SRA's proposals would:

• Force air travellers with heavy luggage to jostle with stressed commuters
  who had boarded trains for London which start from the south coast
• Leave passengers arriving in the UK and heading for London waiting on
  overcrowded platforms - raising serious questions about safety and
  service quality.
• Give passengers just two minutes to board themselves and heavy luggage
  once a train arrived at the platform.
• Cut the number of air travellers using rail by up to 2.5 per cent - and put
  nearly 1 million extra passengers into cars on congested roads.

Gatwick's deputy managing director, Paul Griffiths, said: "The results
of the National Passenger Survey confirm just how much the dedicated
Gatwick Express service is valued by passengers and how disastrous the
SRA's proposals would be for air passengers and commuters."

NOTES TO EDITORS:
The following responses sum up many people's views:

"I have used the Gatwick Express every weekday for over 10 years. This
is despite the fact that I live in Hove, just ten minutes walk from
the station. When I use the Gatwick Express I get SERVICE. I know many
of the staff and generally there is a smile and a polite word. The
convenience factor is paramount for me and many other people I know
who regularly use the service," Michael Saunders.

"I am totally behind the campaign to save the Gatwick Express. It is
astounding that the SRA/Government feel there is no need to provide a
dedicated train link from one of our main airports. It is an excellent
service providing a vital first impression to visitors to our country.
Just imagine if everyone had to pile onto a commuter train. They would
think we were a third world country. The answer is not to scrap the
Gatwick Express, but to get the Gatwick Express staff to run the SRA",
Nick Goble, managing director, Winkworth Estate Agents.

Richard Price
Citigate Public Affairs Limited
26 Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W 0GT
Direct Tel: +44 (0) 20 7838-4823
Direct Fax: +44 (0) 20 7838-4829
[email protected]