stewyb
When I tried it was around £40K to join up from Stand 14 to the runway, due to the asphalt plant on site while resurfacing the runway. At todays prices, in the millions!
Cheapest option is to join up from Stand 14, but this must stay south of the ILS GP antenna, still requiring a part backtrack. Taxiway cannot go further north without closing down a car park, bean counters would never agree to that!
Next problem with a west side taxiway is a planning condition that prevents aircraft taxying closer to houses in Southampton Road (due to noise) than they would be while on the runway. Consequently a short backtrack would be necessary.
The best solution (IMHO) would be crossing the runway at TWY B then north on the east side, extending past the existing 20 threshold, linking up with a much need starter strip on the north end of the runway. Gets rid of the bottleneck at B1, avoids the back track, thereby speeding up departure flow, and will provide a link with the new Terminal 2, if that ever happens.
Hopefully the Post Office will move out (to a larger facility on the old Fords factory site?)before too long and airport bean counters work out that even paying a premium for the PO site will be a lot cheaper than building a remote terminal in the north east corner.