Originally Posted by
LTNman
Probably designed out as it was a rubbish idea. An additional tunnel would put traffic back on local roads as was the original route back in the 80's. The whole idea of New Airport Way and Airport Way was to take traffic way from local roads and housing estates.
You are forgetting that the original plan also had a tunnel to what was going to be a huge investment by Wigmore. Why would the traffic affect local roads and estates? Very odd comment as the plan was to develop a new road back down to what was the Ibis roundabout. A circular flow of traffic. To be honest, the newly proposed road to the planned business park seems to run a similar route.
Also cost engineered out was the people mover from the Parkway station and the extensive check in facilities planned for the new station. A cul-de-sac tinminal was effectively the lowest cost option and the central area was not designed to take the huge numbers of passengers that the area currently handles. Oh and the original tinminal should of had vast glass areas, they were replaced by tin sheeting!
However many complaints are raised about the low cost nature of current developments, they only mirror what occurred during the mid 1990s, albeit on a smaller scale. Most of the reasoning back then was an unwillingness by the then Government to permit local authorities from borrowing large sums for infrastructure investments. LBC faced the prospect of needing investment into their airport, but limited by HM Govt on the amount permitted to be borrowed, thus the unique Concession Agreement which has rewarded LBC handsomely since 1997.
Having sat in many meetings between the airport and LBC, Government policy dictated that Luton was not allowed to compete with what back then was a huge financial gamble at Stansted. The monopolistic activities at the time by the BAA would be outlawed today. LBC did an incredible job against a neighbour being subsidised by their operations elsewhere around London. LBC not only had to battle Govt policy in the early 1970s and Gatwick, 20 years later they faced similar from Stansted.
All in all, LBC were correct in not selling, simply as the sustained concession income over the last 21 years completely outweighs the potential one off payment that selling up would have given. For me, the saddest part of the original concession agreement, was watching Frankfurt Airport representatives pack up and leave before the final three potential operators were announced. I had a long conversation with one of the managers sent over and it was clear that what became Fraport would have invested massively from 1998. Duty Free was being abolished and Frankfurt considered Luton to be a potentially long term income stream helping to replace the effects of losing the tax free goods income. Copenhagen did make the last 3, but I was not impressed hugely with their business plans long term, but their senior management were good and honest. They went on to take control of Newcastle.