The failure to connect HS2—the UK’s flagship high-speed rail project—to London Heathrow Airport is a planning catastrophe that defies common sense. The government and transport planners had a golden opportunity to integrate the UK’s busiest airport into the national rail network seamlessly, yet they squandered it. Instead of providing a direct link, they have forced travellers—whether families with luggage or business professionals on tight schedules—into unnecessary detours and multiple changes across the London Underground.

Traveling by car is often not a reliable alternative, as the M25 is notorious for congestion, with even minor accidents causing gridlock that takes hours to clear. Despite allowing extra time, I have lost count of the number of flights I have missed due to these delays. The motorway has been operating beyond its designed capacity almost since its inception, and frequent widening projects, intended to ease congestion, often exacerbate the problem during construction—only for the road to reach full capacity again almost immediately after completion.

Unlike European counterparts, where major airports are efficiently connected to national rail networks, Heathrow remains an isolated hub in the context of long-distance rail travel. Passengers from the Midlands, the North, and beyond who wish to travel internationally must first battle their way into London, often navigating multiple Underground lines before reaching their departure terminal. A traveller from Manchester, Birmingham, or Leeds should not have to waste an hour in London’s congested transport system simply because HS2 planners failed to integrate the airport into the high-speed network.

This is particularly unacceptable for international business travellers, whose time is at a premium, and families, for whom the added stress and logistical nightmare of hauling luggage through multiple stations is an unnecessary ordeal.

The existing rail options do little to mitigate this problem. The Heathrow Express, while fast, only serves Paddington—hardly a central hub for national rail connections. Meanwhile, the Elizabeth Line improves access but still requires changes for most onward journeys. The reality is that no one arriving at Heathrow can easily connect to the UK’s major rail networks without navigating London’s fractured transport map.

HS2 was meant to revolutionise transport connectivity, yet planners have ignored one of the most obvious priorities: linking high-speed rail to the country’s principal airport. Instead of doubling down on London-centric expansion, the UK needs a national transport vision that prioritises accessibility, efficiency, and regional balance. Without it, travellers—whether domestic or international—will continue to face unnecessary diversions, lost time, and a system that places inconvenience over common sense.

In summary, The UK must learn from its European counterparts and recognise that a truly modern transport system does not force travellers through a single city bottleneck. Connecting HS2 to Heathrow should have been a given; failing to do so is a planning failure that future generations will struggle to correct. Instead of expanding Heathrow yet again, the government should seize the opportunity to create a world-class, integrated transport system that serves the entire country—not just London, or Is It Me!