LUTON - 6
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm with you buster, for the council it is a cash cow.
There are many communities in the deprived areas of the town that are doing very well with airport cash. Not so good if you are from the indigenous population though.
There are many communities in the deprived areas of the town that are doing very well with airport cash. Not so good if you are from the indigenous population though.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: UK Home Counties
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As far as LBC are concerned, the Concession Agreement has been an awesomely successful decision...
The Concession may be generating ££££s for LBC but it's not enabling LTN to expand or develop as any business needs to do.
The investment required to keep LTN competitive is vast, and it simply doesn't make a viable business case over the remaining concession period.
Furthermore, with the almost certain major downturn in aviation business likely over the next two to three years, the 'cash cow' may not continue to produce the level of income to which LBC and its council tax payers have become accustomed.
Undoubtedly, if LGW is hived off from BAA and if Abertis does manage to buy it (I agree a rather big IF...), rest assured, the company's interest in LTN and LBC will cease pretty rapidly.
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hertfordshire
Age: 54
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If LBC had sold the airport . . .
. . . it would be under houses now. At recent land values in the south east, it was worth about £2 billion so LBC's return on that looks pretty sick.
Thank God for the housing slump!
Thank God for the housing slump!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Travelling to London Luton Airport terminal
Major roadworks will affect the main approach to the airport from Monday 4 August for approximately 8 weeks. Shuttle buses between Luton Airport Parkway station and Luton Airport terminal will be diverted. Passengers are advised to allow at least an extra 10 minutes for their journey to ensure that they are able to check in for their flight on time.
----------
This must be the slowest road build in the country. Just one mile of upgraded road has so far taken over two years to build with no end in sight.
Major roadworks will affect the main approach to the airport from Monday 4 August for approximately 8 weeks. Shuttle buses between Luton Airport Parkway station and Luton Airport terminal will be diverted. Passengers are advised to allow at least an extra 10 minutes for their journey to ensure that they are able to check in for their flight on time.
----------
This must be the slowest road build in the country. Just one mile of upgraded road has so far taken over two years to build with no end in sight.
But look on the bright side - the M1 widening between Junction 10 (Luton Airport) and J9 (A5 Redbourn) is now complete and cone-free. Unfortunately, it's still utter chaos further down, so the queues extend on to the newly-completed section
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The A505 upgrade started around 2-3 months after the start of the M1 in the summer of 2006. Bearing in mind that the M1 involves the construction of 20 miles of new carriageway in both directions compared to the 1 mile A505 project I can see the M1 being finished first.
I doubt on most days that I can count more than 20 workers who are being paid to build it.. Of those half seem to be standing in groups doing nothing while another 5 are on their mobile phones. So there you have it, the road is being built by just 5 guys.
I doubt on most days that I can count more than 20 workers who are being paid to build it.. Of those half seem to be standing in groups doing nothing while another 5 are on their mobile phones. So there you have it, the road is being built by just 5 guys.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 792
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Silverjet executive lounge
Noticed yesterday that the Silverjet terminal is finally being stripped of all its furniture-the final nail , as they say , to the era.
Anybody know what the plans are for this area-would seem an ideal opportunity!
Anybody know what the plans are for this area-would seem an ideal opportunity!
I travelled from the M1 to the Airport twice yesterday, at 1400 and 2000. On neither occasion did I spot a workman in the whole construction site, between the Ibis Hotel roundabout and the Capability Green slip-road.
Despite the fact that the project is now months late, no-one has thought of working overtime, they just allow motorists and LTN pax to suffer. I suspect that the donkeys in Luton Town Hall 'forgot' to impose penalty clauses on the contractors for late completion.
Despite the fact that the project is now months late, no-one has thought of working overtime, they just allow motorists and LTN pax to suffer. I suspect that the donkeys in Luton Town Hall 'forgot' to impose penalty clauses on the contractors for late completion.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They seem to work from 7am to early afternoon Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings. Tomorrow sees the start of a 7 week closure of the link road from Airport Way to Gypsy Lane. This means that the shuttle bus to the station has got to do a major detour to get from the airport to the station.
The problem from day one has been the lack of guys actually building the road and with a recession in the construction trade I guess they are in no hurry to finish the job.
The problem from day one has been the lack of guys actually building the road and with a recession in the construction trade I guess they are in no hurry to finish the job.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 792
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Monarch Scheduled 2009
Now bookable but with changes
Almeria --------dropped ?
Gran Canaria ---dropped ?
Malaga --------down from 13 to 9 flights weekly
Larnaca--------up 1
Faro , Alicante , Gibraltar , Lanzarote , Mahon , Palma , Tenerife are all unchanged.
Malaga flights appear to be the night flights that are dropped so could be added if demand is there.
Worse case scenario looks like 8 flights down weekly but a/c could be utilised for more IT flights
Almeria --------dropped ?
Gran Canaria ---dropped ?
Malaga --------down from 13 to 9 flights weekly
Larnaca--------up 1
Faro , Alicante , Gibraltar , Lanzarote , Mahon , Palma , Tenerife are all unchanged.
Malaga flights appear to be the night flights that are dropped so could be added if demand is there.
Worse case scenario looks like 8 flights down weekly but a/c could be utilised for more IT flights
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Dunstable
Age: 44
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Am I right in thinking that easy are due to start converting LTN to the "bus" from the end of this month, or have I got it totally wrong ?
Rumour was it was planned to have 5 A319's in LTN by the end of the year.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitchin
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A A
Many thanks for the info re the start of the "bus" conversion at the end of the month.
Pity to see Istanbul go at the end of the summer, but could we see it back next year for SO9 ?
Good to see Wizz launching another new route from LTN to Timisoara from 17 Dec, 3 x weekly.
Many thanks for the info re the start of the "bus" conversion at the end of the month.
Pity to see Istanbul go at the end of the summer, but could we see it back next year for SO9 ?
Good to see Wizz launching another new route from LTN to Timisoara from 17 Dec, 3 x weekly.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 792
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Eastern Corridor/Airport Link update
"I suspect that the donkeys in Luton Town Hall 'forgot' to impose penalty clauses on the contractors for late completion".
Appears the road construction is currently £8 Million over budget and is likely to end in court appearances for both sides - unless settled out of court.
Birse , the construction company informed the council that the road couldnt be built to their design as the chalk was not of sufficient quality to enable a 70 degree angle of embankment.
The Council obviously disagreed
After months of arguing it seems an independent assessment was made and has come down on the side of the construction company.
Some form of strengthening is being added to prevent subsidence (not originally budgeted for) hence the long delays.
Looks like the council has really ------ up and penalty clauses are out .
Questions will obviously be asked like why wasnt the ground tested before design.
Suppose we should be thankful people are working on it at all!!!
Final outcome will be interesting ( if we ever find out )
Appears the road construction is currently £8 Million over budget and is likely to end in court appearances for both sides - unless settled out of court.
Birse , the construction company informed the council that the road couldnt be built to their design as the chalk was not of sufficient quality to enable a 70 degree angle of embankment.
The Council obviously disagreed
After months of arguing it seems an independent assessment was made and has come down on the side of the construction company.
Some form of strengthening is being added to prevent subsidence (not originally budgeted for) hence the long delays.
Looks like the council has really ------ up and penalty clauses are out .
Questions will obviously be asked like why wasnt the ground tested before design.
Suppose we should be thankful people are working on it at all!!!
Final outcome will be interesting ( if we ever find out )