Tube passengers travelling to and from Heathrow Terminal 4 will be using a dedicated bus shuttle at Hatton Cross from January 7, 2005 for 20 months.

The change from Tube to bus is to allow for construction of the Piccadilly line extension to the new BAA Heathrow Terminal 5. London Underground's (LU) Heathrow Terminal 4 station will remain closed during the work.

Piccadilly line services will continue to run direct to and from central London to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 station. The change will mean a slightly increased journey time to Terminal 4 of five to ten minutes. But it will actually cut journey times by Tube to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 by a few minutes.

Piccadilly line General Manager, Mike Challis said:
"Around 2,500 people travel to and from Terminal 4 by Tube each day. We will have a dedicated bus shuttle service in place that means those journeys will only take about five minutes longer than now.

"Currently, around 22,000 people use the Tube to get to and from Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 each day and they will actually be getting there a little faster."
A comprehensive programme of customer information, publicity and assistance is being implemented by LU. It includes amending the world-famous Tube map, providing leaflets at stations and special Tube driver and station announcements. Extra staff will be on hand at Hatton Cross to help passengers.

Any passengers travelling to and from Terminal 4 who may have difficulty using the stairs at Hatton Cross should travel to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 and use the free Heathrow Express Service to reach Terminal 4. Passengers using this route should allow an extra 30 minutes to complete their journey.

Over the weekend of January 8 & 9, 2005 only, there will be no service on the Piccadilly line in either direction to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 and Terminal 4 beyond Hatton Cross. A full replacement bus service will be in operation, with more information to be issued nearer the time.

  • No additional bus services will be provided by LU from T123 to T4, which is why passengers for T4 are being advised to alight at Hatton Cross for the dedicated bus shuttle;
  • LU announced on November 20, 2001 that the Government had given the go-ahead to extend the Piccadilly line to BAA Heathrow's new Terminal 5;
  • The Government, in approving Heathrow Terminal 5, required that the Piccadilly line be extended before the new Terminal opened, due to be in 2008;
  • Construction of the new Terminal 5 and the extension of the Piccadilly line is being funded and managed by Heathrow Airport Ltd, a subsidiary of BAA. Terminal 4 Underground station has to close for 20 months for essential safety reasons to assist the construction of the T5 Piccadilly line extension;
  • When Terminal 5 opens, the Piccadilly line will run two services from central London to Heathrow terminals as follows:
    • Central London - T4 - T123 - Central London;
    • Central London - T123 - T5 - T123 - Central London.

For more information about London Bus Services check out tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/