THE £16billion rail project from Heathrow Airport should be extended to Southend, according to a leading councillor.

At the moment, the Crossrail service is planned to travel from Heathrow Airport and Maidenhead, Berkshire, to Shenfield, Essex, and Abbey Wood, London, from 2017.

But Southend Council’s deputy Tory leader John Lamb wants to see the service come all the way out to Southend Victoria station, travelling on the existing National Express rail line.

He said the move would allow passengers in south-east Essex to travel to central London and Heathrow without having to change at Shenfield, or get on the tube at Liverpool Street or Fenchurch Street.

Mr Lamb said: “That’s something we would love to see. I don’t think Crossrail has gone far enough and should go that extra step.

“The benefits would be tremendous if Crossrail came through here, joining up Heathrow with Southend Airport and into the town. It would give us a new route up to London and would link up to Heathrow.”

Mr Lamb believes there would be real benefit for those wishing to travel abroad.

They could ditch those drives around the M25, and instead get the train all the way in. He added: “I think an extension would be very good without costing a terrific amount of money. They could use the existing tracks and signal systems.

“Crossrail plans have been laid down, but there’s nothing to stop us looking at how it will move forward. We have to be ambitious about these things.”

Mr Lamb said the increased cost would only be for more Crossrail trains running further and possibly more staff. He said he was just floating the idea at the moment, but had already raised the issue at the East of England Regional Transport Forum.

Mr Lamb added: “I’m making representations wherever I can. I’m getting people on board and switched on.”

Any changes to the planned Crossrail service, which was approved by Parliament back in 2008, would have to be give the go-ahead by the Department for Transport.

Andrew Meddle, Southend council’s head of planning and transport, said: “There are no immediate plans to push for Crossrail to be extended to Southend, although we are working with regional partners to deliver the best set of benefits from this project for Southend and the region.

“Southend is currently chairing the East of England Regional Transport Forum, which is exploring how authorities in the east can optimise links to Crossrail’s Shenfield hub and maximise the benefits which will be delivered through this project and other rail improvements in light of the Olympics.”