Originally Posted by
Big Tudor
I don't get this obsession with a railway station having to be built at the airport. As has been mentioned already, EMA, LPL, LTN, BRS, GLA, EDI, etc, all seem to manage quite nicely with a Parkway concept. Even LGW from railway to the North Terminal is a bit of a hike. There is no way the finances will be available to build a line and a station to the airport, so a station nearby with frequent bus connections is the only solution for LBA.
Its not an obsession. Its a simple theory, if you go to the door more people will be inclined to use it. If you stop a mile away, less people will be inclined to use it. The idea is to increase passenger numbers, not simply accommodate the current usage better. In this day and age, an investment has to be able to pay for itself. A decade ago/20/30 money was flowing into public services, now not so much.