Quoting Suzeman:
"The things that could are the request for a judicial review into the Ordsall Chord (to be heard in September) which, if the project is much delayed, will b*gger up the Northern hub and the additional capacity which will allow new routes to the Airport.
And secondly the award of the new TPE franchise - due in December - where the short listed companies have options to run more of their services across the N Pennine route to Liverpool rather than the Airport."
Many thanks Suzeman for a reminder of those issues which could affect the airport.
On the first, does a judicial review re-examine the merits of the case and different options, or just the process by which a decision by the Minister was reached? As I understand it, completion of the Northern Hub, if it happens, will only allow one extra path an hour in each direction between the City Centre and Airport.
The second is a bit of a concern. At present, there are 2 trains an hour I believe to Leeds and York from the airport, one of which goes on to Middlesborough, and 1 an hour to Sheffield. Newcastle trains run from Liverpool and Hull trains just start at Piccadilly. I suppose if the new operator decides to run one of those airport trains to Liverpool instead, it would at least release a path for a train from say North Lancashire or North Wales.
Sorry if it's trains related but there are implications for the airport and connectivity as Suzeman points out.