Before Xmas (within 6 weeks) the HS2 Phase 2 consultation will begin with a HSR line between central Manchester and a new railway station outside of T5 on the Agenda
Err, the HS2 consult keeps getting pushed back. There have been proposals for running the line right under the toastrack, now it seems the GWML will take that route. There have been proposals for a loop into T5, and for a spur only from the north.
Now let's have a look at the reality. The current Phase 1 proposal has a very low BCR (ROI if you were UK PLC). If they are dropping a spur into T5, that will have an even lower BCR. How do you spend £4bn to serve a terminal that cost the same, and then expect a return when less than 10% of passengers come from the areas served by HS2?
Now you think Beardie, * and Skyteam will be happy with BA getting a subsidised shuttle service into their terminal when they don't?
It is well believed that the dinosaurs died out because they were unable to adapt to the developing planet !
Well the intellectual dinosaurs are the ones who go round thinking that high speed rail, as proposed, is the cure to all ills. It is deeply flawed in so many ways which have been done other threads, but just put the LHR context across - where else in the world do you have a major investment in airport to rail infrastructure that doesn't also serve the city centre?
I can think of one hulking great white elephant of a high speed rail station that does this, and oddly enough, many people have said it looks like a dinosaur skeleton, however beautiful a skeleton it may be!