Does Bournemouth Airport need better public transport provision?

[miklcct]

If you basically can't get to an airport by bus, then it has inadequate public transport provision.

And if an airport as busy as Glasgow apparently can't justify a rail link, then a small regional one like Bournemouth certainly won't.

Get the airport onto a useful bus service first.

And having driven many, many times to Northern Spain, from the catchment area of Bournemouth airport, I can say safely that it is deeply unpleasant, takes forever, and I am very glad that my mother's fear of flying has now abated enough to allow her to do that same route on a Ryanair 737 to Girona. From Bournemouth, most of the time (Bristol is also convenient for them). My parents will typically get someone to give them a lift to the airport - usually whichever one of us siblings they've roped into looking after their dogs!

The cat is out of the bag, and the British public are not going to be giving up their holidays in the Med for Bournemouth beach, Skegness, or Blackpool any time soon.

The only public transport option the airport could reasonably expect would be a subsidised bus, and given that there isn't one, I doubt the airport will bring one in. The only way it could happen would be to have the council require it as part of conditions for expansion.

The lack of transport is the reason I never flew there (and used Southampton or Gatwick instead) when I lived in Bournemouth.

If it was a commercial decision, it was a commercial decision by the airport and/or the airlines to limit its traffic by refusing to give affordable options to get to the airport.

There are cheap trains between Bournemouth and Southampton or Gatwick so they will take away the traffic.

 

[jupiter]

Why isn’t it the airport owners/operators that have screwed it down so you pay the excessive “drop off” charge? It’s a crummy airport anyway. Heaven help you if you get a delay out of Bournemouth.

I live reasonably close down the road and prefer to drive to Gatwick than use Bournemouth.

 

[DeverseSam]

How much is a taxi from the railway station?

 

[James H]

the United Taxis app quotes me £24.40 as of right now

 

[DeverseSam]

the United Taxis app quotes me £24.40 as of right now

thank you

 

[geoffk]

Even Newquay airport has a bus roughly hourly, it's for that reason I chose Newquay for a short break; totally bizarre why a "major" airport would be short of public transport. If the local council won't provide, it might be in the best interests of the airport if themselves provided a bus link?

As an aside I've considered Bournemouth for a break, but the lengthy journey to and from puts me off, a simple flight there from Manchester and I'd book today if flights were available.

Exeter Airport has a (mostly) half-hourly service to central Exeter and St. David's station. I don't know how it compares passenger-wise with Bournemouth although it does have all-year round services, not just holiday destinations.

 

[RT4038]

The lack of transport is the reason I never flew there (and used Southampton or Gatwick instead) when I lived in Bournemouth.

If it was a commercial decision, it was a commercial decision by the airport and/or the airlines to limit its traffic by refusing to give affordable options to get to the airport.

There are cheap trains between Bournemouth and Southampton or Gatwick so they will take away the traffic.

Quite possibly the Airport has done its sums and has realised that the cost of subsidising the bus service would be more than the potential revenue lost from people who consequently do not fly to and from Bournemouth Airport.

 

[AlastairFraser]

thank you

Also useful to note that Christchurch station is much closer to the airport, so it may be cheaper and quicker if you're coming from the east to use that.

 

[James H]

A hopeful sign:

Bournemouth Airport has gained planning approval for a major upgrade that will see the creation of a single extended terminal and a new transport interchange.

The £50 million investment, which is being delivered in phases, was approved by BCP Council’s eastern planning committee with an eight to one vote in favour.

The scheme will join the existing arrivals and departures buildings into one modernised terminal, with enhanced baggage, security, and passenger facilities. A reconfigured transport interchange will also provide better access for buses, taxis, cyclists, and pedestrians.

As part of the package, the airport will provide £511,000 towards a new bus service over five years linking the local area and £60,000 for a staff travel scheme to encourage sustainable and active travel. Shared electric Beryl bicycles and scooters will also be introduced.

Source: https://news.bournemouthone.com/82981/

 

[dorsetdesiro]

A hopeful sign:


Source: https://news.bournemouthone.com/82981/

Hope they'd really sort this out properly or it'd be like another Bristol or Leeds-Bradford, two major regional airports with piss-poor road connections without on-site rail stations etc.

I predict not very much will change i.e. no road improvements/A338 link, few bus services to be added then later withdrawn, same terrible car parks, same mean spirited drop off charges. Just the terminal itself getting upgraded that's all.

Would have thought airlines would be more attracted to Southampton for its better connections and just off the motorway?

 

[William3000]

Hope they'd really sort this out properly or it'd be like another Bristol or Leeds-Bradford, two major regional airports with piss-poor road connections without on-site rail stations etc.

I predict not very much will change i.e. no road improvements/A338 link, few bus services to be added then later withdrawn, same terrible car parks, same mean spirited drop off charges. Just the terminal itself getting upgraded that's all.

Would have thought airlines would be more attracted to Southampton for its better connections and just off the motorway?

As I understand it Southampton Airport has a much shorter runway than Bournemouth, which makes it less suitable for a wider variety of aircraft

 

[Megafuss]

A hopeful sign:


Source: https://news.bournemouthone.com/82981/

On the face of it, it's good news. But £511k isn't going to buy much of a service over five years.

A simple 12 hour 1 bus Monday to Saturday daytime service is costing some local authorities between £120k and £150k a year alone!

 

[Autspectorder]

An all-day bus service to the airport terminal should be an absolute minimum.

 

[arnagle]

I understand I am very late to this thread lol, but I can’t help but wonder if there could just be a Bournemouth Airport bus service to somewhere like Castlepoint or R B Hospital? Therefore, people can switch onto another bus service depending on where they want to go, eg m1 to Bournemouth & Poole, and 24 to Christchurch. This way it will be much shorter of a route, so it’d be cheaper to run for BCP Council / Bournemouth Airport. It could also be useful for some local residents wanting to make a trip from West Parley to Castlepoint / R B Hospital / Littledown.

 

[WibbleWobble]

It could also be useful for some local residents wanting to make a trip from West Parley to Castlepoint / R B Hospital / Littledown.

I can't see many people doing that - West Parley is rather affluent with lots of very big houses. And besides, you can make a decent connection between the 13/13a and the combined five per hour service towards Castlepoint etc at Westover Retail Park.