New Luton plan - aim to make Ryanair dump EGSS for EGGW
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New Luton plan - aim to make Ryanair dump EGSS for EGGW
taken from Lutontoday.co.uk
"Airport could triple in sizePlans drawn up for 30 million passengers
Dramatic plans for the growth of London Luton Airport to cope with up to 30 million passengers a year are being drawn up by aviation chiefs.
Airport parent company TBI is engaged in top level talks with Luton Borough Council to extend its franchise and allow huge new investment to triple the size of the airport.
It is part of a wider plan, with the company vying to steal the thunder of Stansted Airport, and lure traffic away from their eastern region rivals.
Company chiefs are already trying to persuade Ryanair to quit Stansted and make Luton its main operational base.
But even before the council gives its approval for an extension of its franchise, TBI is making an immediate investment of £30million over two years in a move which will increase the number of passengers from seven million to 12 million.
Opponents of schemes for the expansion have feared huge passenger growth since the Government gave its approval to new runway proposals last year.
But the TBI decision to have active talks with the council now underline its determination to press ahead.
TBI already has a 30-year franchise on the airport agreed with the council, but chief executive Keith Brooks wants an extension of that time scale to justify multi-million pound investments.
A council spokeswoman would only say: "We understand TBI would like to extend the concession but their ambitions to do that have not progressed beyond initial discussions."
There was also reluctance to discuss growth plans at the airport, where it was considered they came under the umbrella of corporate confidentiality.
Expansion during the next two years will almost double the airport's retail and catering space. There will be a new pier, immigration hall, arrivals and onward travel areas, eight gates added and aircraft aprons will be increased by two.
TBI plans for Luton were highlighted in the group's interim financial results published this week, which showed group operating profit up 64 per cent to £24.1m.
Outlining his company's bid to persuade Ryanair to come to Luton, Mr Brooks said: "We have an unblemished record of filling every new Ryanair or easyJet plane launched at Luton. Our infrastructure is every bit as good as Stansted's and our transport links are better. Put it this way, I'd be very surprised if Ryanair stayed there."
In the first six months of last year, passenger numbers at Luton increased by nine per cent to 4.1 million."
Seems like the futures bright for Luton.
"Airport could triple in sizePlans drawn up for 30 million passengers
Dramatic plans for the growth of London Luton Airport to cope with up to 30 million passengers a year are being drawn up by aviation chiefs.
Airport parent company TBI is engaged in top level talks with Luton Borough Council to extend its franchise and allow huge new investment to triple the size of the airport.
It is part of a wider plan, with the company vying to steal the thunder of Stansted Airport, and lure traffic away from their eastern region rivals.
Company chiefs are already trying to persuade Ryanair to quit Stansted and make Luton its main operational base.
But even before the council gives its approval for an extension of its franchise, TBI is making an immediate investment of £30million over two years in a move which will increase the number of passengers from seven million to 12 million.
Opponents of schemes for the expansion have feared huge passenger growth since the Government gave its approval to new runway proposals last year.
But the TBI decision to have active talks with the council now underline its determination to press ahead.
TBI already has a 30-year franchise on the airport agreed with the council, but chief executive Keith Brooks wants an extension of that time scale to justify multi-million pound investments.
A council spokeswoman would only say: "We understand TBI would like to extend the concession but their ambitions to do that have not progressed beyond initial discussions."
There was also reluctance to discuss growth plans at the airport, where it was considered they came under the umbrella of corporate confidentiality.
Expansion during the next two years will almost double the airport's retail and catering space. There will be a new pier, immigration hall, arrivals and onward travel areas, eight gates added and aircraft aprons will be increased by two.
TBI plans for Luton were highlighted in the group's interim financial results published this week, which showed group operating profit up 64 per cent to £24.1m.
Outlining his company's bid to persuade Ryanair to come to Luton, Mr Brooks said: "We have an unblemished record of filling every new Ryanair or easyJet plane launched at Luton. Our infrastructure is every bit as good as Stansted's and our transport links are better. Put it this way, I'd be very surprised if Ryanair stayed there."
In the first six months of last year, passenger numbers at Luton increased by nine per cent to 4.1 million."
Seems like the futures bright for Luton.
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Given that STN have apparantly refused a fourth rotation of the fleet in a 24 hr period - maybe the 0200-0700 sectors could move west a little!!!
Shurely mIsh Money penny..................
Shurely mIsh Money penny..................
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The master plan shows most of the major expansion to 30 million passengers including new terminals and aprons being built on Hertfordshire land to the south of the runway. No prizes for guessing what the reaction of Hertfordshire councillors is to the plans although it is rumoured that the town and county border will be moved to account for an expanding airport and town housing.
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No prizes for guessing what the reaction of Hertfordshire councillors is to the plans
But Luton - because of its now relatively high unemployment index - is an area that is able to receive regeneration aid under the auspices of RPG9 which means that it qualifies for EU and Central UK Govt grant aid as do companies setting up business there IF they create additional employment.
Since Harpenden, St Albans, Welwyn, etc., are hardly Labour strongholds, in an election year, this will probably figure more in any grand plan than the self-centred narrow-minded politically-motivated whinging of a few Herts county councillors and their NIMBY Tory constituents...
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Work is due to start mid to late spring 05 to complete dualling from the M1 jct 10, all the way into the airport. This will obviously make a substantial improvement to traffic flows in that area, ie north & south M1 & the west. The bad news is that is likely to take up to 18 months to complete fully.
Easterly access is bad and only small imrovements are likely to be seen in the near future. The airport would like to see a brand new road leaving the airport to the north and effectively creating a bypass around Wigmore & Stopsley to rejoin the A505 mid-way between Luton & Hitchin, thus creating a much faster link to the A1 at Stevenage. As this would involve greenbelt land, Planning applications, Public Inquiries etc, not likely to happen for several years, if at all.
Easterly access is bad and only small imrovements are likely to be seen in the near future. The airport would like to see a brand new road leaving the airport to the north and effectively creating a bypass around Wigmore & Stopsley to rejoin the A505 mid-way between Luton & Hitchin, thus creating a much faster link to the A1 at Stevenage. As this would involve greenbelt land, Planning applications, Public Inquiries etc, not likely to happen for several years, if at all.
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As this would involve greenbelt land, Planning applications, Public Inquiries etc, not likely to happen for several years, if at all.
An interesting (mis)use of public funds...
Dastardly BAA
Ebenezer is spot on in identifying the corruption involved in BAA's monopoly ownership of three of the four (proper) London Airports.
Not only are road connections smoothed on their way, but Government and other public 'servants' presume in favour of their former colleagues at BAA and against those ghastly capitalists running Luton.
The answer is for BAA to be split up, with their three London airports being divided into three independent companies. Same goes for the GLA/EDI conspiracy in Scotland.
Some chance!!??
Not only are road connections smoothed on their way, but Government and other public 'servants' presume in favour of their former colleagues at BAA and against those ghastly capitalists running Luton.
The answer is for BAA to be split up, with their three London airports being divided into three independent companies. Same goes for the GLA/EDI conspiracy in Scotland.
Some chance!!??
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ebenezer - i know its a little off topic, but Luton doesn't have a high unemployment rate, its actually below the national average for unemployement!
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Sorry Nickmanl but Luton's unemployment index IS above the average for the southeast of England (but I'm sure you're right that it's a lot less than some areas in the north, for example and so is below the UK national average) which is why it is eligible for RPG9 assistance.
So too are companies that relocate to the area, which could explain why TUI is moving out of its UK HQ in North London and relocating to Luton.
Another reason why the local councils all ought to give Luton Airport 101% backing as it's now the largest single employment site in Bedfordshire, and you have only to look at the effects on towns such as Crawley, of having a thriving airport business on the doorstep.
But then local councillors generally, don't have a very long-term event horizon...
So too are companies that relocate to the area, which could explain why TUI is moving out of its UK HQ in North London and relocating to Luton.
Another reason why the local councils all ought to give Luton Airport 101% backing as it's now the largest single employment site in Bedfordshire, and you have only to look at the effects on towns such as Crawley, of having a thriving airport business on the doorstep.
But then local councillors generally, don't have a very long-term event horizon...
