Luton Airport Parkway

[SAPhil]

Prior to the opening of Luton Airport Parkway, I had never considered flying from Luton Airport. Now I have used it on many occasions - even though I dislike the airport itself!

 

[jon0844]

I can't - for the reason Bald Rick put about 2 posts further up.

Capacity on the MML is limited and demand is high. The only way to do something like this would be at the expense of other services - so it won't happen.

I wasn't seriously suggesting it!

 

[sheff1]

People arriving at the airport will want to get into London, regardless of how.

Many people, myself included, want to head away from London.

 

[baz962]

they are probably building a rail link between parkway and luton airport instead of the buses

 

[ChiefPlanner]

they are probably building a rail link between parkway and luton airport instead of the buses

Suggested - believe it when it actually gets built.

 

[baz962]

you never know but they are pushing hard I work at airport seen a lot of paperwork not actual plans

 

[Bald Rick]

Oh it's happening, albeit a transit link rather than 'rail' as such. The airport has the cash, and is just awaiting planning permission, which should be imminent. All the docs, including detailed plans, are here:

https://planning.luton.gov.uk/onlin...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OLS4X4KG07D00

Reading between the lines I think the airport might have justified it on the basis of fares income alone; say it gets 8m pax a year at £3 each (my guess at fare), that would easily cover the operational cost and pay back the loans fairly quickly.

 

[baz962]

yea I think the shuttle bus charges a couple quid as it is but I cant remember as I get free shuttle bus travel

 

[Abpj17]

The airport is owned by the local council. The town centre station is chronically bad (and still has no lifts to platforms) so is entirely inappropriate for anyone with suitcases. Traffic in the town is chronically bad too. And it was fashionable at the time for parkway stations…

As others imply, is Luton actually unusual for having a truly mainline station rather than a branch/special service? I guess Gatwick is similar, but also has the Gatwick Express brand.

 

[baz962]

although the airport itself and the infrastructure is owned by the council the airport has been contracted out a spanish company aena I believe and axa are the main shareholders

 

[jopsuk]

As others imply, is Luton actually unusual for having a truly mainline station rather than a branch/special service? I guess Gatwick is similar, but also has the Gatwick Express brand.

Southampton, Prestwick, Southend all have "mainline" stations with no special service.
Liverpool- Parkway on the shuttle bus (not that different to Luton!)

Durham Tees Valley too, but that's a "special" service

 

[edwin_m]

Southampton, Prestwick, Southend all have "mainline" stations with no special service.
Liverpool- Parkway on the shuttle bus (not that different to Luton!)

Durham Tees Valley too, but that's a "special" service

And Birmingham.

 

[Mikey C]

The transit train has been approved

The BBC story is a bit misleading, as reading it you could be forgiven for thinking that Thameslink trains would be continuing from Parkway directly to the airport!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-40370475
http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017...port-rail-link-gets-backing-from-councillors/

 

[swt class 450]

yea I think the shuttle bus charges a couple quid as it is but I cant remember as I get free shuttle bus travel

Yes there is a dedicated shuttle bus (route 888) but it is mainly just used to rip off tourists. It now costs £2.10 Single or £3.40 Return on this route. However if you go out the other side of the station you can take the local Arriva bus routes (routes A and 100) which have the same frequency and are two minutes quicker and only cost £1.60 Single or £2.60 Return on this route. This option is even usually cheaper than buying a combined train and bus ticket. Or even better you can just walk. It is only a quick easy 15 minute walk (as long as it is not hot weather and you don't have too much heavy luggage its easy to do). Lets just hope the Transit Train is free of charge. As long as it is free then i think it will really improve access to and from Luton Airport. Especially as some EMT trains take as little as 18 minutes you should be able to get from the Airport to Central London (Kings Cross St Pancras) within no more than 30 minutes.

 

[swt class 450]

The transit train has been approved

The BBC story is a bit misleading, as reading it you could be forgiven for thinking that Thameslink trains would be continuing from Parkway directly to the airport!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-40370475
http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017...port-rail-link-gets-backing-from-councillors/

Has it been announced yet which types of trains will be used? I presume it will be something like the Bombardier CX100 (used at Gatwick and Stansted) or Bombardier APM200 (used at Heathrow)?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Monorail - think Simpsons ....

 

[nottinghamcity]

Made me think what is the status of direct rail service for the top 20 airports:

1 London Heathrow yes
2 London Gatwick. Yes
3 London Stansted Yes
4 Manchester. Yes
5 London Luton Yes
6 Edinburgh No (tram)
7 Birmingham Yes
8 Glasgow International No (proposed in the past)
9 Bristol No
10 Liverpool Yes
11 Newcastle No (metro)
12 East Midlands No
13 Belfast International. No
14 London City Yes (+DLR)
15 Aberdeen No
16 Leeds Bradford No
17 Belfast City No
18 Southampton Yes
19 Glasgow Prestwick. Yes
20 Jersey. No

 

[Adlington]

the status of direct rail service for the top 20 airports

It depends how "direct"....
If you mean airport's own railway station with a walkway to/from the terminal(s) , then Birmingham, Liverpool and Luton are "No".

BTW, Manchester also has a tram, with no direct service to the town centre....

 

[snowball]

If you mean airport's own railway station with a walkway to/from the terminal(s) , then Birmingham, Liverpool and Luton are "No".

At Liverpool the station is about two miles from the terminal.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It depends how "direct"....
If you mean airport's own railway station with a walkway to/from the terminal(s) , then Birmingham, Liverpool and Luton are "No

At Liverpool the station is about two miles from the terminal.

Exactly what I was thinking. I still use a car as does my wife when flying to see my grandchildren LPL- NOC . We once got the train from PRE to Liverpool South Parkway and then a bus transfer. Not convenient. So I agree Liverpool should not be included in this list.

 

[edwin_m]

Glasgow airport is closer to its nearest station than Liverpool airport is, but if you think the bus connection from South Parkway is bad you've probably never tried the one from Gilmour Street.

Belfast George Best is walkable from Sydenham station and even has a footbridge over the main road for the purpose but it's another one that the average air passenger wouldn't do more than once. I think there is a button you can press when you get over the footbridge that allegedly summons a shuttle bus.

Not sure why City Airport counts as a Yes with DLR, when Newcastle with Metro and Edinburgh with a tram are No.

 

[Adlington]

if you think the bus connection from South Parkway is bad you've probably never tried the one from Gilmour Street.

I used the latter once and have no reasons to complain. Yes, I know this isn't statistically significant...

BTW, personally speaking I see nothing wrong with the South Parkway bus either.

 

[baz962]

When the new luton rail link is done the terminus will be right outside the airport terminal

 

[jon0844]

When the new luton rail link is done the terminus will be right outside the airport terminal

What about the station end? Will you be dropped by the entrance, or in the station and near the platforms (level access)? The station can be a bit time consuming to navigate, especially for those who haven't used it before. More so for finding the right platform to London than when you arrive there and just follow for the way out.

 

[Bald Rick]

What about the station end? Will you be dropped by the entrance, or in the station and near the platforms (level access)? The station can be a bit time consuming to navigate, especially for those who haven't used it before. More so for finding the right platform to London than when you arrive there and just follow for the way out.

The planning application shows the station end terminus right alongside the Up Slow platform, at approx the same height as the footbridge. There is a direct link to the footbridge, and a ramp down to the Up Slow platform, which is where approx 90% of trains to London depart from.

 

[JaJaWa]

Reading between the lines I think the airport might have justified it on the basis of fares income alone; say it gets 8m pax a year at £3 each (my guess at fare), that would easily cover the operational cost and pay back the loans fairly quickly.

Do any other airports charge for the transit mover to the rail station? I've only used them at Birmingham and Gatwick and it was free at both.

 

[edwin_m]

The VAL shuttle to Orly airport from the RER interchange charges a fare (and is outside the normal Paris area fare system). But it is free between terminals. I think the shuttle to JFK airport also charges.

I can't think of anywhere in the with a dedicated shuttle that charges a fare, although where a section of a longer public transit route effectively forms the shuttle from the national rail network then that is chargeable (eg Heathrow, Edinburgh).

 

[Mikey C]

Do any other airports charge for the transit mover to the rail station? I've only used them at Birmingham and Gatwick and it was free at both.

Both are much shorter though.

The one for Newark (US) airport is free. It goes between the railway station and the various terminals.

I imagine Luton will charge if they charge for the current airport bus, though it would make more sense to make it free and just add an extra bit to the landing fees.

 

[sheff1]

Belfast George Best is walkable from Sydenham station and even has a footbridge over the main road for the purpose but it's another one that the average air passenger wouldn't do more than once. I think there is a button you can press when you get over the footbridge that allegedly summons a shuttle bus.

The original terminal building was right next to Sydenham station. Sydenham is still be best option from the Bangor direction and can be at certain times of day if coming from Adelaide or south thereof.

Until fairly recently you could walk to/from the new terminal inside the airport grounds but that route is now closed to pedestrians. I usually walk along the A2 as I find this is just as quick as waiting for the shuttle bus to arrive.

 

[Bald Rick]

Do any other airports charge for the transit mover to the rail station? I've only used them at Birmingham and Gatwick and it was free at both.

Not that I know of in this country, but as has been said earlier, the circumstances are different.

The Luton transit (ho!) will be more like the AirTrain at JFK in concept, albeit shorter, which charges $5 last time I went on it.

Part of the planning application for Luton suggested that the transit needed to be 'ticketed' to avoid people dropping airport passengers off at Parkway for a free trip and therefore clogging up the station roads and immediate vicinity. Also, counter-intuitively, charging may increase the public transport share. If it was free, then you can imagine that it would encourage people to drive to Parkway to drop off airport passengers. Assuming some form of ticket integration (as with the airport bus now), it will be a hidden cost for most rail tickets, and therefore passengers may be more likely to use it.

My guess is that the fare for the transit will be in the same ball park as the airport drop off fee, ie £3.