LTN has become a victim of it`s own undoubted success within it`s very constrained site in recent times so North of London ops to be contested with STN (as always) will indeed be interesting.
The assertion above that STN has a "smaller catchment population & worse surface connections" has evidently not hampered STN in breaking now thru the 28m barrier.
With MAG/STN predicting to capture 60% of capacity growth within the London area & with planning permission & work commencing on the facilities to drive growth to 43m,STN would appear to be several steps ahead.
With tentative plans viewed here for further development at LTN one may wonder who would finance it?
Reading here it appears the DART is being financed by the local taxpayer & with all Councils nationwide in financial extremis one wonders how that is & will be managed.
As stated previously did perhaps the departing CEO who oversaw growth to near capacity read any runes?