Luton DART and Luton Airport Parkway Updates

[flitwickbeds]

I see work has been ongoing for a few months now at Luton Airport Parkway station for a new station building shell on the east side of the station, and raised tracks going up towards the airport.

Is there any further information about estimating opening dates, where and how the new track will connect to the existing (if at all?) and how the timetable will look?

 

[Midnight Sun]

Luton Airport People Mover due to open 2021

https://dart.llal.org.uk/

 

[swt_passenger]

I see work has been ongoing for a few months now at Luton Airport Parkway station for a new station building shell on the east side of the station, and raised tracks going up towards the airport.

Is there any further information about estimating opening dates, where and how the new track will connect to the existing (if at all?) and how the timetable will look?

It definitely doesn’t connect, AIUI it is a pair of back and forth shuttles using some sort of cable haulage. I expect it’s got more in common with the Gatwick inter terminal shuttle than a proper railway.

 

[edwin_m]

It definitely doesn’t connect, AIUI it is a pair of back and forth shuttles using some sort of cable haulage. I expect it’s got more in common with the Gatwick inter terminal shuttle than a proper railway.

Exactly so (and the Birmingham International shuttle is similar). They seem to be trying to give it a bit more of an upmarket image but it's basically a horizontal (or in this case sloping) lift. None the worse for that as it's probably the best technology for the job, but a lot of people seem to be expecting some sort of metro.

 

[flitwickbeds]

Thanks all. Reason I asked was I thought I heard during the planning stages about a "Luton Express" service being possible (similar to Heathrow Express, Stansted Express, etc) from Central London.

Clearly I misheard or misunderstood at the time.

 

[Aictos]

Thanks all. Reason I asked was I thought I heard during the planning stages about a "Luton Express" service being possible (similar to Heathrow Express, Stansted Express, etc) from Central London.

Clearly I misheard or misunderstood at the time.

No you didn’t misheard but you did misunderstand what was proposed and what will happen.

EMR and Luton Airport will be running services more similar to Stansted Express using Class 360s under the East Midlands Electrics brand which will be the existing Corby services but EMU operated, half hourly (not sure if peak or all day) and also calling at the airport.

Those services will be Luton Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby as the East Midlands IC services will be first stop Kettering meaning they won’t stop at Luton Parkway anymore.

Apologies mods if I’ve gone off track here!

 

[edwin_m]

No you didn’t misheard but you did misunderstand what was proposed and what will happen.

EMR and Luton Airport will be running services more similar to Stansted Express using Class 360s under the East Midlands Electrics brand which will be the existing Corby services but EMU operated, half hourly (not sure if peak or all day) and also calling at the airport.

Those services will be Luton Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby as the East Midlands IC services will be first stop Kettering meaning they won’t stop at Luton Parkway anymore.

Apologies mods if I’ve gone off track here!

That's my understanding. I think it's half hourly all day, though they may shorten the trains outside the peaks. With Thameslink and EMR there's no capacity for a separate Luton Express and it could only turn round by crossing to the slow lines and using the turnback at the Luton town station.

I've used the semi-fast EMR service from Nottingham to Luton Airport quite often - it has a better choice of flights than EMA and it's easier to get to by train than Birmingham (especially back in the evening). I think it would have justified continuing stops on the Nottingham and adding them on the slower Sheffield, to give an approximate 15min interval from St Pancras, but they obviously decided otherwise. Hopefully the new service will offer good connections at Kettering.

 

[Aictos]

That's my understanding. I think it's half hourly all day, though they may shorten the trains outside the peaks. With Thameslink and EMR there's no capacity for a separate Luton Express and it could only turn round by crossing to the slow lines and using the turnback at the Luton town station.

I've used the semi-fast EMR service from Nottingham to Luton Airport quite often - it has a better choice of flights than EMA and it's easier to get to by train than Birmingham (especially back in the evening). I think it would have justified continuing stops on the Nottingham and adding them on the slower Sheffield, to give an approximate 15min interval from St Pancras, but they obviously decided otherwise. Hopefully the new service will offer good connections at Kettering.

The only issue is off peak there is only on average 12 minutes between the Rainhams on Platform 2 and that is IF they all run to time plus you can rule out Platforms 1 and 3 as they have the Bedford’s, Brighton’s and Gatwick’s and if they use platform 2 it impacts on the Rainhams so terminating at Luton won’t happen anytime soon.

 

[MatthewRead]

No you didn’t misheard but you did misunderstand what was proposed and what will happen.

EMR and Luton Airport will be running services more similar to Stansted Express using Class 360s under the East Midlands Electrics brand which will be the existing Corby services but EMU operated, half hourly (not sure if peak or all day) and also calling at the airport.

Those services will be Luton Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby as the East Midlands IC services will be first stop Kettering meaning they won’t stop at Luton Parkway anymore.

Apologies mods if I’ve gone off track here!

I thought some off peak EMR IC services would still stop between St Pancras and Kettering

 

[Bald Rick]

Also, the DART is now proposed to be extended to serve the prospective terminal 2 to the east of the current terminal. Although that is several years away.

 

[Aictos]

Also, the DART is now proposed to be extended to serve the prospective terminal 2 to the east of the current terminal. Although that is several years away.

Not sure if it's going to make a difference but Arriva from the 27th Oct will be changing their A route between Dunstable and Luton Airport up to every 10 minutes so be interesting to see when the DART opens how much custom will it take from the buses.

*Bear in mind, the Arriva service to the Airport in question is up to every 15 minutes atm with some services carrying onto the airport while some turnaround at Luton Interchange, the new plans from Arriva mean ALL the A's go to the airport.

 

[mark-h]

I expect it’s got more in common with the Gatwick inter terminal shuttle than a proper railway.

Exactly so (and the Birmingham International shuttle is similar).

Same manufacturer as the Birmingham system (which replaced the defunct maglev) although the Luton system will have a higher capacity per train.

 

[Bald Rick]

Not sure if it's going to make a difference but Arriva from the 27th Oct will be changing their A route between Dunstable and Luton Airport up to every 10 minutes so be interesting to see when the DART opens how much custom will it take from the buses.

*Bear in mind, the Arriva service to the Airport in question is up to every 15 minutes atm with some services carrying onto the airport while some turnaround at Luton Interchange, the new plans from Arriva mean ALL the A's go to the airport.

None, I’d imagine.

The DART isn’t going to be free - it will be included in the price of rail tickets to the Airport; non rail passengers will have to buy a ticket. From central Luton it will still be quicker, cheaper and easier to get the bus.

 

[dk1]

None, I’d imagine.

The DART isn’t going to be free - it will be included in the price of rail tickets to the Airport; non rail passengers will have to buy a ticket. From central Luton it will still be quicker, cheaper and easier to get the bus.

Might be too early to confirm, but I wonder if rail staff will travel free on the DART. Currently their is no charge on the bus link.

 

[Bald Rick]

Might be too early to confirm, but I wonder if rail staff will travel free on the DART. Currently their is no charge on the bus link.

Doubt it. The current service is part of the TOC operation. The future service will be an airport operation, and they will want to maximise return on their £225m investment.

 

[dk1]

Doubt it. The current service is part of the TOC operation. The future service will be an airport operation, and they will want to maximise return on their £225m investment.

Fair enough. Can't imagine it would cost much anyway. I was wondering whether the half-hourly non-stop EMR service from St.Pancras was such a good idea until I realised it will be the Corby so can be formed of anything upto 12-cars with the 360s & so won't overcrowd or take up valuable long distance seats.

 

[Bald Rick]

Fair enough. Can't imagine it would cost much anyway. I was wondering whether the half-hourly non-stop EMR service from St.Pancras was such a good idea until I realised it will be the Corby so can be formed of anything upto 12-cars with the 360s & so won't overcrowd or take up valuable long distance seats.

Think it’s going to be at least £3, but most people who use it will have it included in the rail ticket price as now.

One issue is that it will become rather easier to park at the station and use that as a park and ride for the airport. Certainly easier than the long or medium stay, and overall probably as easy as the short stay in the multi storey. Given that the station car park revenue goes to ‘the railway’, the airport will be mindful of pricing the link such that non-rail ticket holders aren’t encouraged to do that. Currently the bus is a big incentive not to do this, although some still do (myself included, but then I get the latter free).

With the half hourly Corbys calling, it will be less than 30 minutes from St Pancras to the terminal, which is a game changer for the airport. Stansted will be very worried!

 

[flitwickbeds]

With the half hourly Corbys calling, it will be less than 30 minutes from St Pancras to the terminal, which is a game changer for the airport. Stansted will be very worried!

Not necessarily less than 30 minutes I'd have thought. The current STP<>LTN journey time is between 21 and 26 minutes, plus time to change to the DART (separate platforms on a separate part of the station) plus waiting time for the next DART departure, plus time to walk to the terminal (the drone footage seems to have it in a separate building from the terminal).

That's also only on EMR from St Pancras - it's likely that people will choose not to change at STP, walk through the behemoth of tangling long corridors to EMR's platforms, and wait up to 29 minutes for a departure. Instead they'd change at London Bridge or Farringdon or another core station, and get on one of the 6-8 Thameslink trains an hour which take between 36 and 51 minutes (from ZFD) to reach Parkway.

While definitely a massive improvement over the current times with the bus, I doubt it will ever be less than 30 minutes from train departure in London to terminal arrival.

 

[Bald Rick]

Not necessarily less than 30 minutes I'd have thought. The current STP<>LTN journey time is between 21 and 26 minutes, plus time to change to the DART (separate platforms on a separate part of the station) plus waiting time for the next DART departure, plus time to walk to the terminal (the drone footage seems to have it in a separate building from the terminal).

That's also only on EMR from St Pancras - it's likely that people will choose not to change at STP, walk through the behemoth of tangling long corridors to EMR's platforms, and wait up to 29 minutes for a departure. Instead they'd change at London Bridge or Farringdon or another core station, and get on one of the 6-8 Thameslink trains an hour which take between 36 and 51 minutes (from ZFD) to reach Parkway.

While definitely a massive improvement over the current times with the bus, I doubt it will ever be less than 30 minutes from train departure in London to terminal arrival.

Bet you it is possible, and will be achieveable by many people; Luton are saying it will be. https://dart.llal.org.uk/ says:

“Scheduled to open in 2021, passengers will be able to travel between St Pancras and London Luton Airport in just 30 minutes using the fastest trains and seamless Luton DART transfer.”

By my reckoning:

21 mins STP-LTN
2 minutes* up to the bridge and straight into the Shuttle terminal (which is at footbridge level)
2 minute wait** for shuttle on average at peak times
3 minute trip (2km at an average of 40km/h)
1 minute walk from shuttle to terminal - it’s just over 100 metres.
29 minutes.

* 2 minutes is generous. I’ve done car park to P1 in 2 minutes with a rucksack. 2 minutes from P4 to the shuttle with carry on bags is easily achievable.

** the shuttle will have a peak interval of 4 minutes. Clearly some people will have a wait time of 3m 59sec, some will have a wait time of 1sec.

 

[JaJaWa]

Construction is progressing (images of the Luton Parkway end attached)

 

[Bald Rick]

Great photos.

I haven’t been to look for a while; the bridge slide over the access road seemed to go well. There’s a great time lapse video available here:

https://dart.llal.org.uk/

 

[Edders23]

Not been to Luton for some time luckily it's very unpopular amongst my customers as it has the longest walk from the drop off point to the terminal and the highest airport car parking charges in the UK although someone has booked me to there in May so that'll be the first view of work in progress since last summer when there wasn't much to see anyway

 

[edwin_m]

Not been to Luton for some time luckily it's very unpopular amongst my customers as it has the longest walk from the drop off point to the terminal and the highest airport car parking charges in the UK although someone has booked me to there in May so that'll be the first view of work in progress since last summer when there wasn't much to see anyway

May well be that you can drop off at the station end of the peoplemover when it opens.

 

[TrafficEng]

May well be that you can drop off at the station end of the peoplemover when it opens.

From what I understand the charge for the journey from the station to the airport will remain in place, so dropping off at the airport will still be cheaper than the cost to passengers of using the new link.

The DART stop for the airport is also next to the drop off point, so the walking distance saved is marginal.

I would also imagine the airport would be loathe to miss out on the revenue from the drop off facility, and more cars using the station to drop people off would quickly snarl that up.

 

[Bald Rick]

From what I understand the charge for the journey from the station to the airport will remain in place, so dropping off at the airport will still be cheaper than the cost to passengers of using the new link.

The DART stop for the airport is also next to the drop off point, so the walking distance saved is marginal.

I would also imagine the airport would be loathe to miss out on the revenue from the drop off facility, and more cars using the station to drop people off would quickly snarl that up.

Well it will depend on the traffic, and how many people are being dropped off by the vehicle. It’s is quite routine to have solid traffic up to the airport at 0500 in summer. If just 1 or 2 of you are travelling, then the difference in cost for using the shuttle will be marginal compared to drop off, and if the traffic is bad it could easily save you 15 minutes.

But in any event, the purpose of the shuttle is to encourage more people to use the train rather than drive. I’ll vcertsinly swap to the train compared to taxis.

 

[edwin_m]

From what I understand the charge for the journey from the station to the airport will remain in place, so dropping off at the airport will still be cheaper than the cost to passengers of using the new link.

The DART stop for the airport is also next to the drop off point, so the walking distance saved is marginal.

I would also imagine the airport would be loathe to miss out on the revenue from the drop off facility, and more cars using the station to drop people off would quickly snarl that up.

The station forecourt seems very cramped so I can see that extra drop-offs there would be a problem even without the shuttle bus. I assumed they were creating some alternative drop-off on the other side that would connect directly to the peoplemover, avoiding the multiple escalators and the station footbridge.

 

[TrafficEng]

...I assumed they were creating some alternative drop-off on the other side that would connect directly to the peoplemover, avoiding the multiple escalators and the station footbridge.

That is my understanding too, and on the latest google maps images what looks like a drop off area and car park can be seen clearly, which accords with the artist's impressions of people leisurely strolling with their suitcases in front of the new station. I did ask at a recent consultation event how the drop off facilities would work on completion of the scheme, but the answers were a bit vague.

However, even with a new facility the area around the station always seems busy and as Bald Rick points out the intention of the scheme is to encourage people to travel by train rather than car, so I would expect any problems caused by people dropping off at the station to be swiftly dealt with e.g. (increased?) charges for car drop-off.

 

[BelleIsle]

One issue is that it will become rather easier to park at the station and use that as a park and ride for the airport. Certainly easier than the long or medium stay, and overall probably as easy as the short stay in the multi storey. Given that the station car park revenue goes to ‘the railway’, the airport will be mindful of pricing the link such that non-rail ticket holders aren’t encouraged to do that. Currently the bus is a big incentive not to do this, although some still do (myself included, but then I get the latter free).

I believe there is passive provision for a future intermediate station at the medium stay car park.

 

[Backroom_boy]

Watched the latest drone fly over vid and it seems that a lot of the track will be in a cut and cover tunnel; wasnt clear but looked like about half the line, basically the full length of the car parking, is being trenched and then covered over. Or have I misinterpreted?

 

[Bald Rick]

Watched the latest drone fly over vid and it seems that a lot of the track will be in a cut and cover tunnel; wasnt clear but looked like about half the line, basically the full length of the car parking, is being trenched and then covered over. Or have I misinterpreted?

Some of what looks like cut and cover will be iopen trench, or ‘trough’ as it is described in the planning documentation, ie cut but no cover. This applies to all of the stretch through the mid stay car park. The cut and cover section is basically from the east end of the car park through to the terminal, err, terminal.

See pic, or via this link:

https://planning.luton.gov.uk/onlin...1_General_Layout_Plan_Illustrative-650855.pdf